The Gift Of Life
by Heaven's Miracle
Summary: Darkness is on the rise. Separated from Sora and Kairi, Riku finds himself in another world and gets cursed by a stranger. The good fairies try to help him but their help might do more harm than good. Contains some angst. Non-yaoi Mpreg. Sorry yaoi freaks.
1. Blessed by a curse

It was late at night; the moon was riding high above the sky, casting its pale glow upon the quiet Destiny Island. Gentle waves lapping against the sand as the soft breeze greeted the water. Upon the paopu tree sat Riku, lying upon his back while staring serenely up at the infinite night sky, the gentle breeze brushing through his silver hair. His ice blue eyes focused upon the stars that now littered the night sky, so many stars. So many worlds...

He sighed, remembering how it was only a year ago on this very tree that he wondered whether there were in fact other worlds out there. How he sought to explore those unknown worlds alongside Sora and Kairi, building a raft as a means of getting to those other worlds. He laughed; a simple raft could not possibly cross the vast worlds beyond their home, he knew better now. After joining the dark side, becoming possessed by Xehanort's Heartless and wandering in darkness for an entire year and returning to the world of light, he wondered what else lied in store for him and his friends now that they received another message from King Mickey. Another quest of the Keyblade, another journey to put an end to the spread of darkness for as long as time would allow. He tore his eyes away from the sky as he turned his head sideways to look upon the now dark ocean that lied beneath him, listening carefully to the waves knocking against the land.

He closed his eyes as another breeze glided past him. The wind, the waves; sounds he has not heard for a year though it felt to him like it has been an eternity. It was music to his ears. He inhaled deeply, catching the fresh air in his lungs as his lips curled up in a small smile. This was real, after wandering for so long in darkness and finally reuniting with Sora and Kairi they finally made it, they were home. He opened his eyes to the sound of a door creaking open behind him. Turning his head toward the sound, he sat up when he saw Sora walking down the pier, the door closing behind him as he made his way toward the silver-haired warrior. "Riku there you are!" said Sora, waving his arm in greeting. "Hey." Riku replied, paying no mind to the sudden intrusion.

"Come on, Kairi's waiting for us at the dock."

"Right…"

Riku jumped down from the tree and turned to face the open ocean again, the water palely aglow from the full moon. He stood there, gazing at the glowing sea, capturing the image in his mind as if it was going to be the last time he would see it. "How long do you think it would be?" he said aloud. "Huh?" Sora uttered, turning to his friend confused. "What do you mean?"

Riku said nothing for a moment, his eyes still fixed upon the distant sea. "To come back to this island after our journey, I know it's our main priority to maintain balance of the worlds, but…it could be our last time we could see each other like this." Sora was silent for a moment.

"C'mon Riku, don't talk like that," he said, folding his arms, "Everything's okay now. We found Kairi, got you out of the darkness, defeated Xemnas and managed to make it back home in one peace. After our adventures before this one should be no problem, what's keeping you so down?" Riku tilted his head down slightly, a smile playing on his lips. "I don't know," he said, "I guess I've been thinking too much."

"I'll bet you have," Sora said playfully. Riku chuckled; it was simply amazing how even in the most serious situations Sora still had the capacity to be so optimistic.

"You know it's funny," Riku began as Sora looked up at him. "I wanted to leave this place so badly that I was even willing to plunge through the darkness to escape. And after being away from it all for a year…" He sighed as he returned his gaze toward the sky, feeling the wind on his face. "I never thought I would miss it this much." Sora stood silent, letting the sound of the waves fill in the silence that followed after Riku's words. "Riku…" He then looked out towards the water, watching the moonlight dance upon the water's surface. It was indeed a beautiful sight to behold.

"You know what? Maybe you're right," he said. Riku looked at Sora, a bit surprised.

"This journey might be our toughest yet, and we might not be able to get back at all…" Riku stared; it was startling to see his friend behaving so solemnly. Sora then smiled as he placed a hand on his chest, "But I know we'll make it through okay, because this time, we'll face this together, all three of us plus Donald and Goofy and the King." he said cheerfully. Riku smiled, that is the Sora he knew.

Before anything more was said, they turned toward the wooden door to find Kairi emerging from behind it, beckoning to them hastily. "Sora, Riku, we have to leave _now_," she said as she looked at the sky ahead of them. The two boys followed her gaze and saw dark clouds forming in the distance with flashes of white light coming from it. _A storm…?_ Riku thought. The skies were just clear not a moment ago; this could not be a natural storm. Weather changes do not happen that quickly, then again Mother Nature can sometimes be unpredictable. "Come on," ordered Sora, "If we leave now we can probably make it before the storm gets here."

"No, the clouds are moving too quickly. We should take shelter on the island until it passes." Riku countered.

Before Sora could object, a loud thunder clap boomed across the sky, causing the trio to flinch. When the sound died down, they thought it better not to argue any further and hastily went inside the tree hut on the western side of the island. Once inside, they gathered in the back, keeping as far away from the entrance as possible. There they waited, the storm drawing nearer as the wind began to pick up speed. No one spoke for several minutes; another clap of thunder erupted from the outside, closer and louder this time. Kairi brought herself a bit closer to Sora, who rested his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. "So…How long do you think the storm's going to last?" asked Sora wanting to break the silence a bit. "Who knows, we could be here for a while," Riku replied.

The wind became more and more frequent, it's howling sounding eerily as if the island itself were crying out in agony. Next came the rain, pouring down as if they were directly under a water fall. Riku suddenly stood up and went toward the entrance.

"Riku…?" Kairi said worriedly.

"Riku, what's wrong?" Sora asked, clearly as worried as she was.

Riku made no sign that he heard them; he gazed all around the island as the wind and rain hit his face. He watched the rain carefully, watching the water droplets hit the ground; it looked like it was raining sideways. Raining sideways… No. Not here, not when they were so far from any shelter. Riku quickly went back inside.

"This isn't a storm," he said softly as the realization came over him once more. "What?" Sora said confused. The rain came down harder as the wind blew fiercely across the island.

"IT'S A HURRICANE!" Riku shouted as a flash of lighting lit up the dark sky, followed by an earsplitting thunder clap. "We have to go, now!" he ordered. "Go where? The whole island will be torn apart!" Sora shouted over the roar of the wind.

"We could go to the cave near the waterfall!" Kairi said loudly. "Our secret place, do you remember?"

"Hey yeah!" exclaimed Sora, "its halfway underground so we'll be safe."

"It won't keep us from the rain so much but it's our only option," said Riku. Suddenly Kairi let out a scream of terror as a bolt of lightning struck the roof of the tree hut. "Let's get out of here!" shouted Sora. Another thunder clap sent them running out the door. They fought the ferocious winds as they made their way toward the cave. Practically clawing toward the entrance, they made it to their destination. They huddled together as they sat upon the ground to wait out the hurricane, the howling of the wind growing louder with each passing minute.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Kairi whispered. "We'll be safe here," Riku assured her, though he too felt uneasy. "Let's just hope that the hurricane passes soon," Sora said, looking up at the hole above them apprehensively. Several minutes went by, and then slowly the rain began to dissipate as the wind settled to a silent hum. The three teens paused, listening closely to the sudden silence. "Is it over?" Sora asked, looking around the cave. Riku stood up slowly and gazed up at the hole above them; the sky was strangely calm. "We must be in the eye of the storm," said Riku. Kairi grasped Sora's hand as the silence became heavier, no one spoke a word.

They listened closely for any signs of the wind and rain returning. Sora began looking around the cave, gazing at the various pictures sketched upon the rocks; he noticed one that somehow resembled a giant monster destroying a city. He laughed; he remembered now, he drew that grotesque figure as a child.

"What's so funny?" Kairi asked confused. Sora chuckled, suddenly remembering that he was not alone.

"I was just looking at our old pictures, remember that one?" he asked pointing to his old drawing.

Both Riku and Kairi followed his finger and saw the deformed creature upon the rock, they both laughed. "Yeah, that was the picture you drew when you and Riku tried to see who can draw the scariest monster," Kairi chuckled mirthfully.

"You know, we never did see whose monster was scarier," Riku said, catching his breath from laughing.

"You're right," Sora said enthusiastically, looking about the cave. "Which one's yours?"

"Wait, you want to decide now?" Riku asked a bit surprised. "Sure, why not? Afraid that mine is better?" Sora asked playfully. Riku laughed, his friend was simply unbelievable. Though he did not care who the winner will be, he decided to play along. "Alright, you're on," he said shaking Sora's hand, "Okay," Sora agreed, but before they started looking for the other drawing, the winds started gathering speed again.

"Aw man! The storm's back," Sora said disappointedly. "Wait a minute…" Riku muttered. Something was not right; the wind is faster this time, too fast. And he felt a slight pulling sensation coming from above the cave. "Something's wrong," Riku said anxiously as the wind began to blow faster than before. The three teens immediately stood up from the ground, preparing for the worst. The howl of the wind grew louder and louder, sounding as if it was all around them. "What's going on?" Sora shouted. Suddenly Kairi was lifted above the ground as the strong winds began to pull her above the cave opening toward the dark sky.

"SOOORRRAAA, RIIKKUU!" she screamed. The two boys looked up in horror as Kairi was pulled upward by the imposing force. "KAIRI!" they shouted as Sora jumped and grabbed both of Kairi's hands before she can go up any further.

"KAIRI, HANG ON!" Sora yelled while Riku grabbed onto her other hand. "PULL!" Riku shouted. With a grunt, Sora followed his orders. Both boys tugged and pulled but it was useless, the wind was so strong that it was literally opposing gravity.

"Pull harder!" ordered Sora. They pulled Kairi with all their strength but to no avail. Their arms began to ache, but still they would not let go. "It's no use! The wind's too strong!" shouted Riku. "Sora, Riku! You have to let me go!" Kairi shouted over the wind. "NO! We're not letting go!" Sora yelled, holding onto her hands for dear life. Suddenly Sora was also pulled into the air with Kairi.

"Sora!" Riku grabbed hold of Sora's feet and tried pulling both of them down to earth with all his might but he and Kairi still remained in the air. The large roots that clung to the rocks were ripped from the cave walls and were sucked into the sky, striking Sora on the head. His head throbbed from the blow but he still held onto to Kairi. From below, Riku felt himself being lifted weightlessly from the ground. Moments later he followed Sora and Kairi into the air. They screamed as they were launched into the angry sky, Riku tried to hold onto Sora's feet as Sora in turn tried to hold onto Kairi. They rolled this way and that, trying to avoid flying debris. Riku's arms ached but he had to hold on, he was not going to lose his friends again, no matter what.

The three teens gripped each other tightly as the tornado spun them in every direction, leaves and branches zooming past them. Riku looked below to find the island suddenly gone from sight, vanishing in a cloud of blackness. His eyes widened; this could not be happening, they just got back. It cannot end this way, he won't let it. "Take out your keyblades!" yelled Riku. Sora looked at Riku incredulously, "But there aren't any-"

"JUST DO IT!" Riku ordered. Kairi and Sora nodded obediently as they all raised a single hand. To each of them appeared their own keyblade, each one unique in design.

They gripped their weapons tightly against the fierce winds as they held onto each other, nearly missing an uprooted tree. "Alright, together!" Riku shouted as he raised his keyblade. "Right!" said Kairi and Sora, mimicking Riku's action, the tips of their keyblades touching each other. A sphere of white light protruded from the keys and grew larger and brighter until it surrounded them. Then in a flash, the light and the keyblade bearers vanished.

* * *

_Riku was alone, floating in an everlasting pit of blackness, floating..? No…falling…falling into nothingness. _

_Was this a dream..? Had his heart been lost..? Whether he was alive or dead he did not know. Something was pulling him down, down into the pit of darkness, the darkness that he once knew. It was calling him… "Riku…" A voice..? "Riku…" Sora..? Kairi..? No, this voice was different, it was calm, reassuring…familiar. There is a light…he cannot reach it…it was too far away… "Don't lose your light Riku… fight the darkness that beckons you…" _

_He is more determined now; he makes his way toward the ray of light. Something was holding him back. The darkness, it was closing in…he cannot avoid it… It was wrapping around him tightly… "Fight it Riku…Don't be afraid…" The voice… it was coming from the light. He could not escape, the darkness tightened its grip on him, crushing him… killing him… _

_Then he saw them, Sora and Kairi were standing in the light, smiling reassuringly. Sora held out his hand to him, "You can do it Riku… You can do anything…" He suddenly felt stronger; he reached out for his comrade's hand. The light was closer now, so bright…so…warm…_

* * *

Riku's eyes flickered open. He saw bright blue skies overhead, his face warm under the sun. His body ached but at least he was alive. He could hear birds chirping, the wind and the rustle of trees… Was he back on the island? His eyes adjusting to the light, he sat up, letting out a gasp as pain shot through his arm. He carefully examined the extent of the damage. Any amount of movement in his arm was painful; he concluded that it was indeed broken. He must have broken it when he fell. He will have to get that fixed; first he had to figure out exactly where he was.

He gazed at his surroundings; whatever they did in the tornado to save themselves really worked, but where exactly did their stunt take him? Sora and Kairi were nowhere to be seen; this was not Destiny Island, of that he was certain. He slowly rose to his feet, being careful not to agitate his broken arm any further. After gaining his posture, he observed the environment further; he found himself in some kind of forest, most of the vegetation was similar to those found on his island. Between the trees he saw to his surprise a few small buildings in the distance. Riku sighed with relief, perhaps the people here can help him treat his injuries, what worried him even more was the fate of Sora and Kairi, and he wondered whether they were on this island as well.

_"Enjoying the view?"_ said a man's voice.

Riku spun around to see a tall man with hair as black as night. His eyes were a sharp hazel framed by a pair of silver rimmed glasses that gleamed in the sunlight. His body was completely cloaked beneath a white trench coat that covered his black leather boots.

Riku observed the man, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"

The man adjusted his glasses without taking his eyes off of the silver-haired teen. Riku braced himself; this man was apparently an enemy. He watched as the man raised his hands; there was a flash of light and within the stranger's gloved hands appeared two large, jagged crescent swords, each one longer than Riku's arm. Settling the blades at his sides, the man looked at Riku and smirked maliciously.

"Your demise." The man said in reply to Riku's previous question.

Riku immediately summoned his keyblade; he gripped it tightly and pointed it at the stranger.

"I won't go down without a fight!" he said loudly as he prepared to strike. He did not know how he was going to manage this fight with a broken arm, but he never backed down from a challenge. The man attacked quickly. He jumped into the air and launched himself at the keyblade warrior as Riku quickly blocked the attack with his free hand. He jumped back onto a tree as the man followed, spinning in the air and throwing his crescent blades at him. The teen swiftly dodged them both before they reached their target. Riku pounced on the dangerous foe with his weapon high above his head, but before he could strike, he saw a glimmer out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see the two jagged swords whizzing through the air toward him. One of them missed him narrowly but he failed to see the other as it sliced through his shoulder. He cried out in pain and fell down to the ground. The man grabbed both of his swords, charging them with a dark aura.

Riku quickly got to his feet and attacked the man with _light saber_ as the stranger tried to counter it, sending the both of them flying and crashing on opposite ends of the forest. Riku's arm was throbbing with pain. He raised himself up with a shaky, blood stained arm, clutching his weapon and jabbing it into the ground to try and pull himself up. A part of him began to doubt that he would survive this battle. Then he heard something, he could not quite make it out at first, then it grew louder. It was a voice, it sounded like laughter, coming from behind him. He turned to find that the source of the laughter was the mysterious assassin, who rose from the ground unharmed. He sighed heavily and cracked his neck, the sickening sound echoing all around the forest.

"You're good. You really are one of the chosen wielders of the keyblade." The man held out his weapons again and the dark aura returned to the blades. Suddenly the swords began to change; they fused together to make a longer, fiercer blade, covered in what looked like red veins. Riku could actually feel the darkness coming from it. "Such a worthy adversary," the man sighed, "It's a shame I cannot let you live." Riku finally managed to get himself up from the ground. Knowing that the stranger was going to attack, he braced himself once again, wincing from the pain in his arm. Before he had time to think of his next move, the man disappeared before his eyes. Riku frantically looked all around the woods to see where the man was hiding. "Show yourself!" he yelled, his voice carrying on in an echo.

All was silent; the very trees seemed to be stiff from the tension. Riku strained his eyes in search of his enemy, the surrounding trees and bushes passing in a blur before his eyes. Then, quick as lightning, the man reappeared right in front of Riku. Shocked at this foe's incredible speed, Riku froze on the spot, his eyes wide. Before he had time to react, the stranger swiftly drove his dark blade into Riku's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him as darkness poured into the teen's body. Riku's eyes widened as he felt his strength leave him, everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion. He gazed at the assassin's face, which was filled with enjoyment from his first kill. The tall man then yanked his sword out of his prey's body and returned them to their two original forms as the young warrior fell to his knees and landed on the blood stained ground with a thud.

The man looked down upon Riku as he sheathed his weapons; suddenly he turned his head to the distant trees. He stood there for a moment, adjusted his glasses and vanished in a gust of wind. Gasping for air, Riku tried to roll onto his back, every inch of his body was horribly sore. He felt like every bone in his body had been broken. He grunted in pain as he finally rolled on his back. His head throbbed; he must have been out of his mind to try to fight with an injured arm. He cursed his stubbornness as he reluctantly placed his uninjured hand on his abdomen. His eyes widened in surprise to find no physical damage. There was no wound and yet he was in so much pain, that weapon the man used was quite unusual, he wondered who that man was and where he came from. Before he could ponder it any further, the darkness inside his body began to appear all around him, covering him like black smoke. He closed his eyes as a single tear rolled down his face.

"Sora… Kairi… I'm sorry." he said softly, letting the darkness take him. Then everything went black.

* * *

Three lights appeared within the forest, each of them a different color, red, green and blue. They floated into a small clearing; the red light burst in a cloud of red sparks, out of the sparks appeared the good fairy Flora. She ruffled her dress as she looked around. Green sparks appeared behind the red fairy as her sister Fauna came up by her side.

"Are you sure one of them landed here?" asked Fauna as the blue good fairy Merryweather materialized beside them.

"Quite sure," replied Flora. "Yen Sid said that one of them landed in this direction so look hard."

"And how are we supposed to find them in all this?" pouted Merryweather, gesturing toward the surrounding trees as she levitated into the air.

"Now Merryweather, let's just keep our heads, they couldn't have gotten too far," said Fauna joining her sisters in the air. The three fairies flew off into the woods, swerving between the trees, looking high and low through the forest. Later they decided to split up to speed up the search. Merryweather was just about to give up when she heard a cry coming from the distance. She gasped and floated in the direction of the sound; she looked ahead of her and saw a figure lying in the middle of a clearing. She approached it slowly wanting to get a better look. She entered the clearing and came upon the figure, her eyes widened as she gazed upon the figured of a silver- haired young man.

"Oh my…" She gasped, gazing at the teenager as the dark aura consumed him. She had to do something. She kneeled beside him to see what it was that plagued him so. He was indeed unconscious; she observed him for a few moments and stood up. "FLORA! FAUNA! COME QUICK!" she called. The two good fairies instantly appeared in a puff of green and red dust. "Merryweather, what's-" Flora's words trailed off as her eyes fell upon the teenager on the ground. "Oh Merryweather, you found him!" Fauna said amazed.

"We have to help him, he's terribly hurt!" Merryweather said frightfully.

Flora observed the unconscious keyblade master; she frowned as she straightened up. "This young man has a curse on him, and a very powerful one too." Flora replied.

"The poor dear…" Fauna said shaking her head regretfully.

"What should we do?" asked Merryweather looking at her sister for an answer.

"I'm afraid that this one is too powerful, if we try to remove the curse he could die in the process." Flora explained.

The two fairies gasped, "Oh Flora we can't' just let the darkness take him!" said Fauna. "There has be a way!" exclaimed Merryweather, Flora shushed her sister, "Not so loud, don't forget we are in another world." she whispered.

Merryweather nodded silently. The three fairies stood silent for a few moments, suddenly the blue good fairy's face lit up. "What is it?" asked Flora when she saw the look on her sister's face. "I know how we could save him!" She said hastily. "We might not be able to lift the curse, but we could change it!" Flora and Fauna pondered this idea for a moment then nodded in agreement. "Sounds promising, but first we must decide how to change it." As the fairies brainstormed for a solution, Flora suddenly paled.

"Flora, what is it?" asked Fauna when she saw her sister suddenly turn ashen.

"I'm afraid there is but one way we could save this boy," Flora said. Her sisters gazed at Flora worriedly, they gathered closer together as Flora whispered something to them. The two fairies gasped when Flora revealed her plan, Merryweather's face was stricken with shock while Fauna clapped a hand over her mouth, looking almost as horrified as her sister.

"You don't mean-" Merryweather began, but fell silent as Flora nodded her head gravely.

"Oh my… Are you absolutely certain that this is the only way?" asked Fauna as she gazed at the fallen warrior on the ground. Flora wished that there was any other way, but this was a very powerful curse, and there was no telling what effects it could have on the young man's body. If they did not act soon, he could turn into a Heartless or worse.

She sighed. "We must save him at all costs. It's the only way." she stated finally.

Her sisters exchanged worried looks; they knew this was their only option, a last resort. They nodded and set to work. They gathered around the unconscious teen and pointed their wands at him. The fairies looked at one another nervously as they held their wands at the ready. "Ready?" asked Flora, her sisters nodded halfheartedly.

"Keyblade bearer," The three recited in unison, "We give you the Gift of Life."

They waved their wands and aimed; three white lights shot out of their wands and struck the warrior. The darkness that once surrounded him vanished as his body was filled with light. His wounds from the earlier battle began to heal and the broken bones in his arm were completely repaired, each gash and bruise on his skin shrinking until nothing remained. The bright light disappeared and the three fairies put down their wands, it was done. Flora raised her wand as she again sadly looked down at the newly healed teen. "Forgive us keyblade warrior," she said softly as she vanished in a puff of red sparks. "We're very sorry," said Fauna as she waved her wand and disappeared too. Merryweather gazed forlornly at the boy for a moment and then sighed as she twirled her wand and was gone along with her sisters.

* * *

**End of chapter one! This is my first story and also my first Mpreg, I know it was a bit long but I'm really proud of it so tell me what you think, inspire me! Also I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters mentioned in this story.**


	2. Midgar & Hawaii

**Hey Everybody! Chapter 2 is here! It's a bit shorter but the next one will be good, I promise! To all the fans out there, thank you for taking the time to read my story, I'm glad you like it so far. ON WITH THE SHOW! XD **

* * *

Sora awoke with a throbbing headache. Slowly he opened his blue eyes to find a ceiling above him. He blinked, a ceiling..? He lifted his head as he surveyed his surroundings. He was in a small room; the walls were littered with what appeared to be children's drawings. He sat up in his bed, gazing at the walls that surrounded him. Suddenly he felt a strange tightness on his head. He felt his forehead with his free hand, his eyes widening in surprise when he felt a cloth-like texture beneath his fingers. He realized then that his head had been wrapped in bandages.

"Where am I?" he mumbled, messaging his head as he tried to remember how he came to be here.

He, Riku and Kairi were on the island…there was a storm…then they were in the sky… He gasped and looked around the room frantically; his eyes fell upon an additional bed that sat beside his. It was empty. Maybe Kairi was here also…no. That could not be possible, it was never that easy. He sighed heavily, separated again… Why does this keep happening? He then thought of Riku, could he be nearby or did he most likely end up in some foreign world? He looked around once more until he spotted one peculiar picture, another drawing hung on the walls. It was a drawing of smiling man with spiked blonde hair. Sora gazed at it closely, this man was strangely familiar. "…Wait, is that-?"

Before Sora could finish his sentence, the door to the bedroom opened revealing a young woman with long dark brown hair, brown eyes and silver earrings that dangled a little below her ears. She was wearing a black leather tank top and matching shorts and what appeared to be a long skirt-like cloth flowing behind her.

"Good, you're up," she said smiling. Sora gazed at her for a moment, he knew he had seen her before, but where? "Um… Hi." He said, unsure of what to say. "Uh…Where am I?" he asked rubbing his head.

"You're in Midgar," the lady replied. "Midgar…? I'm in another world?" Sora asked sitting up straight in bed. "How did I get here? Where's Riku? And Kairi?" he asked incoherently. The young woman shook her head and sighed. "You hit your head harder than I thought," said the lady as she approached the keyblade master.

"W-What?" Sora said as he felt his bandaged head once more.

"Don't worry," The young lady giggled. "It's not serious. I'm Tifa. We met at Hollow Bastion some time ago, remember?" Sora thought hard for moment, then suddenly he remembered being inside Ansem's study, then she came asking for someone with spiky hair. "Oh! I remember now!" he said in realization.

Tifa chuckled. "I better tell your friend that you're awake, she'll be glad to see you," she said as she walked towards the door.

Sora's eyes widened in bewilderment. "Wait…_she_? Kairi's here?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest. _No way,_ he thought. Was he dreaming? No he could not be. He sighed with relief; he was not alone in another world after all.

"Hey, he's awake!" Tifa called down the stairs.

Within moments, Sora heard rushing footsteps coming up the stairs, growing louder and louder. Seconds later, Kairi stood at the doorway, her face brightening at the sight of him.

"Sora!" she exclaimed as she rushed forward and hugged him. "Kairi!" Sora cried happily as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad you're okay." Kairi sighed softly.

Tifa, who was watching the romantic scene, could not help but smile. "She was really worried about you Sora. She hasn't left your side since you got here." Sora then realized that he was not the only injured one, he noticed that Kairi's upper arm was wrapped in bandages.

"Kairi…your arm..." Sora said, gazing at her arm worriedly. "It's just a scratch, I'm okay." She assured him. He was stunned, it was amazing how he and Kairi actually managed to land in the same world.

"What about Riku?" asked the spiky-haired teen.

Kairi's smile suddenly vanished as she looked down and shook her head. "I…don't think he's here Sora," she said solemnly.

Sora looked at her in disbelief, he turned to Tifa hoping for some answers, but despaired as she shook her head regretfully. He could not believe it; after all he has done, traveling from world to world, finding him and bringing him home only to lose his best friend again. "…Are you sure?" he asked dreading the answer.

Tifa sighed, "We found you and your friend a few miles out of town, we didn't see anyone else." she replied. She wished that she had better news but it was not in her best interest to lie at a time like this. "Don't worry, Sora. We'll find him," said Kairi trying to cheer him up.

Sora was silent for moment, remembering the words of Donald Duck: _No frowning, no sad faces._ He then looked up at Kairi and smiled. "Yeah, I know we will. We found him last time." he said brightly. Kairi smiled. "Right." she said nodding. "Alright, you two need some nourishment, I'll make you something okay?" said Tifa as she left the room and walked down stairs. Kairi sat on the bed opposite Sora, she winced slightly and began messaging her bandaged arm. "Is it bad?" Sora asked her. "Tifa said it was a pretty deep cut but nothing to worry about." Kairi replied smiling reassuringly.

Sora rubbed the back of his head as he brought his eyes to the floor. He wondered where Riku could possibly be, he knew that he must be in another world somewhere, but it was going to be very difficult to decipher which since there were more worlds than anyone can count. Finding him will be nearly impossible without a gummi ship. Though things looked grim, he cannot give up hope, they _will_ find him somehow, he was sure of it. Plus, he need not worry about Riku. He knew that he is alive and well, no mere injury can bring him down. He could take care of himself.

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Riku stirred upon the forest floor. He felt as if someone had poured cold water on him and then dried him thoroughly at the same time. He sat up slowly from the ground and looked around. In the distance, he could see that the sun was beginning to set. The man was nowhere to be seen. He gasped silently, suddenly remembering how the dark-haired stranger had stabbed him with that evil blade. Riku lifted the bottom of his shirt and observed his well-toned stomach. Still no wound. He stretched his whole body, observing his newly repaired arm.

"I'm…healed? But how…?" Riku said amazed. That fight with the stranger could not have been a dream could it?

He looked at the ground beneath him, still stained with his blood. His frowned; the blood was still there… So it was not a dream, but how could he have survived such a blow? Did someone come to his rescue before he was completely consumed by the darkness? If so, why did they leave?

Riku messaged his temples; he felt better than he did hours ago but he also felt strange. There was something about him that has changed, but he could not figure out what it was. He sighed, what did he get himself into this time? A rustling in the bushes interrupted his thoughts. He tensed as he summoned his keyblade once more, gazing at the rustling bushes ahead of him. He braced himself for attack; he was not going to let his guard down, not this time.

The rustling came to a stop as a round blue object rolled into view. Riku blinked as he lowered his weapon. "A ball?" he said curiously. He stared at it for a moment; it looked a bit unusual. Perhaps a child was playing around here and left this ball behind by mistake, maybe whoever the ball belonged to can help him find Sora and Kairi and hopefully a way back home. He approached the blue ball to pick it up when suddenly the ball began to roll slowly toward the keyblade master. He gazed at the blue ball suspiciously as it came closer, then the ball stopped at his feet. The ball suddenly unfurled into a strange blue creature. Riku stepped back in bewilderment; the creature gazed at the silver-haired teen for a moment then scowled as it growled dangerously.

Riku held his keyblade at ready; he has never seen anything like it before. He took another step back as the creature did the same, its black eyes fixed on him. They stared at each other for a few moments, when a voice rang out through the forest.

"Stitch! Did you find it?" said a girl's voice.

Both Riku and the strange animal tore their eyes away from each other and toward the direction the voice came from. A few seconds later, out from the green brush emerged a small figure. The small figure turned out to be a little girl about eight years old with long, black hair and brown eyes. She wore a red dress with yellow leaves printed on it. As the girl entered the clearing, Riku quickly hid his weapon from view, not wanting to scare the child. The girl glanced at the blue animal and spotted the keyblade warrior. "Whoa…" she sighed, her eyes widening as she gazed at the teen from head to toe. The blue animal immediately jumped in front of the girl, its arms spread out protectively as it continued to growl menacingly at him. "What's going on?" asked the little girl.

Riku understood now, the creature was just protecting the girl. Then the creature suddenly began to speak to the girl in a language that Riku had never heard before.

"Huh? What do you mean? Are you sure?" the girl asked in confusion. The teenager blinked. "You understand it?" he asked the child. The girl looked up, a bit surprised.

"Yeah, he said that you fell from the sky, are you an alien?" she asked gazing at him in awe.

Riku shook his head. "Not exactly, I'm…not from around here." He replied. The girl took a step forward, but the blue creature blocked her path shaking his head. "Naga! Naga!" It exclaimed urgently.

"Come on Stitch, he doesn't look all bad," said the girl. The creature made a gesture for her to stay as it walked up to the keyblade bearer. Riku instinctively held out his hand to the small animal as it began to sniff it. After a few moments, the blue creature then purred approvingly as it licked the teen's hand, soaking it in saliva.

The little girl smiled. "That means he likes you," she explained. "See? I told you he was okay." She said to the creature. "Uh, thanks. Ugh…" Riku groaned shaking the slimy liquid from his hand.

"Yeah uh, sorry about that," the girl said a bit nervously. "That's okay, I've had worse." Riku replied, wiping the saliva on his pants. "My name's Lilo and this is my dog Stitch," the girl introduced. Riku nodded. "I'm Riku, pleased to meet you." he said politely. "Aloha." greeted Lilo. "Welcome to Hawaii."

"Thanks," said Riku. "So where're you from Riku? I never saw hair like that before," said Lilo curiously. Riku stood silent, he could not let on that he was from another world, he thought hard. "I live really, really far from here," he said trying to sound convincing. "I bet you're from the North Pole." Lilo suggested. "Cause it's really, REALLY far from here, right?"

Riku nodded his head. "Yep, you got me," he lied, shrugging his shoulders. "I knew it!" she exclaimed happily. "How'd you know?" Riku asked, trying to keep his lie alive. Lilo grinned, "I can tell alot about people." she replied. "Eh." grunted Stitch as he nodded. Riku did not really approve of lying to the little girl but he had to for the sake of the balance between worlds.

"Just out of curiosity, did you happen to see a kid with spiky brown hair and black clothes?" he asked the small pair. Lilo and Stitch exchanged looks and returned their gaze to the silver-haired teen, shaking their heads.

"How about a girl with dark, red hair and a pink dress with a zipper on the front?" Riku asked once more.

Lilo shook her head again, "Sorry, we didn't see anyone like that. Are they friends of yours?" she asked. "Yeah," he replied.

"Well, how about we help you look for them?" Lilo suggested as Stitch nodded. "Eh, eh, yeah!" he uttered.

Riku thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered the man in the white trench coat. The keyblade warrior knew that he was after him, for what reason he did not know, but it did not matter now. Whoever this man was, he made it clear that he will attack again should he discover that the teenager was still alive. He could not live with himself if this girl got hurt. She was too young to understand his situation, she cannot get involved.

"…No, that's okay. Just forget it." Riku replied shaking his head.

Lilo and Stitch blinked, "Are you sure?" she asked a little concerned.

Riku opened his mouth to respond but before he could answer he was suddenly overcome with dizziness. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on his forehead as he tried to steady himself. "Are you okay?" Lilo asked worriedly. Unable to answer, Riku paused, trying to get his body back under control. He tried to assure Lilo that he was alright, but his vision began to blur, his eyes going in and out of focus. He then fell to his hands and knees, trying to stay conscious.

"Riku!" Lilo cried as she rushed over to him with Stitch close behind. "We have to help him!" she said as she tried to help the silver-haired teen sit up.

Stitch thought hard as he gazed around the forest. Suddenly he jumped up into the trees; grabbing several palm tree leaves and landing back down into the clearing. He went over to the bushes and found some sturdy vines and immediately began to tie the leaves together until the leaves resembled a giant fan. His work finished, he quickly went to Riku's side and began waving the enormous leaf fan up and down over his face. "Good going Stitch." Lilo said approvingly.

Riku began to lower himself down upon the ground, gratefully accepting the breeze from the fan. He opened his eyes to find two pairs of eyes looking down at him.

"Feeling better?" asked Lilo. Riku nodded as the dizziness began to fade. He slowly sat up rubbing his head. "Yeah…thanks. I don't know what came over me," he said softly.

"You don't look so good; maybe you're just not use to the heat. Since you're from the North Pole and all." she explained. Riku gave a short nod, not wanting to give himself away. "Can you walk?" asked Lilo making sure the teenager was alright. "Yeah, I'm okay now." He assured her as he got to his feet shaking off the rest of the dizziness. He sighed, relieved that the dizzy spell was over. "See?" Riku asked. Lilo and Stitch nodded convinced that he was alright. "Well, we better get going," said Lilo turning to leave.

She abruptly stopped for a moment and then turned back around to face Riku. "Hey, why don't you come over for dinner?" asked Lilo. Riku considered this for a moment when a low grumbling sound issued from his stomach. He blushed as he placed a hand on his abdomen. "Guess I haven't eaten in a while…" he chuckled.

"My house isn't far from here, come on." Lilo beckoned.

"N-no, it's okay. I don't want to be bother." said Riku shyly. "Besides, are you sure your parents are going to be okay with it?"

"Come on," Lilo insisted, "You can't find your friends on an empty stomach."

The keyblade bearer wanted to protest further but another stomach growl silenced him. With a submissive sigh, he nodded. "Alright." he said finally.

Night was slowly setting in over the tropical paradise of Hawaii. Stars began to appear one by one in the darkened sky, as the orange clouds faded to night blue. Riku, Lilo and Stitch finally made it out of the woods, the trees opened onto a dirt driveway with several tire marks imprinted in the soil that lead up into an open garage with a red jeep parked within it. Riku paused for a moment as he gazed upon the house ahead of him, it stood high above the ground, the walls painted green and lined with white panels and a red roof on top. The three of them climbed the stairs to the front door. Riku felt nervous, he was not exactly accustomed to showing up in another world and suddenly being welcomed into a stranger's home.

"Are you sure your parents won't mind?" Riku asked.

"Well…I actually live with my older sister." Lilo replied, "But she's out on vacation with her boyfriend and won't be back for a week."

"So you're home alone?" Riku asked, astonished.

"No, my uncle Jumba and aunt Pleakley are here. They'll say it's okay." Lilo said confidently.

She opened the front door and stepped inside the brightly lit living room. "We're home!" She announced.

"Lilo!" said a voice.

A slender figure with pale, yellow skin stepped out into the living room wearing an orange apron with leaf printings on it. Riku's eyes widened. He saw that the person had a giant eye that took up most of its face; its head was of abnormal size. "You're home and…you brought a guest?" the deformed looking person said surprised.

"Yeah, this is my new friend Riku. Riku this is my uh, aunt Pleakley." Lilo introduced. "Hello." Riku said politely, trying to hide his appalled expression.

"Isn't he a bit too old to be one of your friends?" said Pleakley a bit suspiciously. "He's from the North Pole." Lilo stated. Pleakley's face brightened, "A foreigner! Fascinating… Welcome to our humble abode young traveler!" He said shaking the teen's hand. "Thank you." Riku said shaking off the strangeness of 'her' appearance.

"I invited him over for dinner, I hope that's okay." Lilo said looking as innocent as possible. "Of course! The more the merrier!" Pleakley said enthusiastically, "Dinner will be ready shortly."

Riku gazed around the family home, the living room consisted of two windows, a couch and television. "Make yourself at home." said Lilo pleasantly. Accepting her offer, Riku sat upon the couch. Suddenly he felt a tightening sensation in his lower abdomen. He winced as the pain slightly escalated. "What's the matter?" Lilo asked worriedly. "It's nothing, I'm just really hungry that's all." Riku lied.

"Dinner should be ready in a few minutes, hang in there." Lilo encouraged.

He sighed as the sharp pain faded, then brought his gaze to the wooden floor. Why was this happening? First the dizzy spell in the woods and now this. No doubt this was the stranger's doing, he did not know what the man did to his body but he was going to get to the bottom of it before it got worse.

"Dinner's ready!" cried Pleakley interrupting the teenager's thoughts.

"What are we having?" asked Lilo.

"Spaghetti." the alien replied.

"Alright!" Lilo and Stitch cried happily as they slapped each other a high five. "Come on," Lilo beckoned the silver-haired teen. Riku nodded as he got up from the couch and went to the dining room.

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It was getting dark in Midgar. In the Seventh Heaven saloon, Sora and Kairi finished off the remainder of their meals and decided to help Tifa close up the bar.

"Are you sure you're well enough to help out?" asked Tifa, watching Sora as he placed some dirty dishes in the sink.

"I told you I'm fine, don't worry." said Sora a little annoyed at being fussed over all the time over a bump on the head. "Alright, alright easy," said Tifa. "You go take out the trash, I'll handle the dishes." she ordered.

Sora nodded and left to do his chore while Kairi stayed behind to clean the tables. Sora grabbed the trash bag and lifted, gagging at the horrible smell. Keeping the bag away from himself with his outstretched arm, he went out the door and hurried around to a dark alley way. He traveled down deeper until a trash can came into view, he quickly threw the bag into the can and slammed the lid shut as he gasped for air. "Ugh! I'm never volunteering for trash duty again." he groaned to himself.

He turned around and gasped as a tall man stood in his path. He could not make out his face under the veil of darkness, but he saw that he had dark spiky hair and glasses, and a long coat, the rest of him was hidden in shadow. "Who are you?" Sora asked as he summoned his kingdom key and assumed his fighting pose.

"Don't be afraid," said the mystery man, "I mean you no harm Keyblade Bearer."

Sora lowered his weapon slightly, "Alright, why should I believe you?" he asked. He watched as the tall man took something out of his coat pocket and stepped into the light, revealing the rest of hidden features. His eyes were a dark hazel green framed by silver rimmed glasses. He held out something to the keyblade warrior, who gazed at it for a moment and blinked, realizing that it was a rolled up piece of paper.

His eyes widened, on the roll of paper was a red Mickey Mouse symbol. Sora immediately took the note and opened it, reading the message:

_Sora, Kairi, I hope this message gets to you safely. I have to talk to the both of you and Riku, it's very important. I can't explain everything right now, but it's something you should know about. _

_M.M. _

Sora's eyes reached the end of the letter and looked up. He gasped when he found that he was alone once again, the stranger was gone.

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Up in the Mysterious Tower, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather stood in front of Yen Sid's desk looking as if they had committed an ultimate wrong. Yen Sid was sitting behind the large desk, rubbing his temples.

"Did you see who cursed the boy?" asked Yen Sid.

The three good fairies shook their heads sorrowfully. "He was alone when we found him," said Merryweather.

Yen Sid stood up from his chair and walked over to the moon-shaped window. "It was the only way. He would have died if we tried to remove the curse, we had to do something!" Fauna said with tears in her eyes. Yen Sid said nothing as Merryweather and Flora tried to calm Fauna down. "I've sent word to the king about the current situation." Yen Sid said without taking his eyes off the window. "Everyone should be on the lookout for whoever cursed Riku; I don't want any other to suffer the same fate."

The three fairies looked at up him. "So, there's nothing we can do for him?" asked Flora.

The wizard silently shook his head and Flora dropped her eyes to the floor. "Right now we must focus on the stability of the worlds. Darkness is spreading again, only this time by means of a different breed." He said matter-of-factly. The fairies exchanged worried glances. "What about Riku? Whoever is spreading the darkness again will surely come after him and the other Keyblade Bearers."

Yen Sid stood silent for a moment, his back to the fairies. "The king has summoned Sora and Kairi to his castle. As for Riku, he will be under King Mickey's care until the gift you have given him has arrived, should he choose to keep it." The fairies looked at each other nervously then back at the old sorcerer.

"But who's-I mean…Must we be the ones to tell him about the gift?" asked Merryweather dreading the answer.

There was a long pause, then Yen Sid turned to face the three fairies. "I understand that your intentions were good. I assume any sorcerer would have done the same if faced with such opposing magic, but that boy deserves to know the truth, no matter how damaging it may be."

The fairies nodded solemnly as the three of them disappeared in a cloud of red, green and blue sparks. Yen Sid sighed heavily as he brought his gaze back to the window. He never thought that it would come to this, worlds are being scrambled one by one, not to mention the darkness has somehow taken new form. Then there's the matter with Riku, if the leader behind the madness will not put an end to the teen's life, the gift that grew inside him might do so.

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**End of chapter! Hope you found this segment a bit interesting, chapter 3 coming soon! Keep the reviews coming, I need motivation! XO**


	3. Space trip

**Thanks everyone for the reviews!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your thoughts and opinions on my story. Thank you very much!! Here's chapter 3!! XD **

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The Pelekai family sat at the dinner table enjoying their meal, they talked and laughed as they went on about their day. Riku gazed at the family from his seat as they carried on with their conversation. They were so carefree, completely unaware that as long as he was with them they are in grave danger. He had to find a way out of this world or it could mean trouble. As the dinner fest went on, Stitch, who finished his meal before the others like always, eyed the keyblade bearer's plate longingly from across the table.

"So tell us young traveler, what's it like in the frozen north?" Pleakley asked in utter fascination.

"Huh?" Riku mumbled jolted out of his thoughts. "The North Pole, what's it like?" Lilo asked rephrasing Pleakley's question.

Riku said nothing for a moment, in amidst all the commotion he had almost forgotten himself. "Oh, it's…" He thought hard trying to remember what he learned of the North Pole back when he was in school. "…Cold. Lots of ice too." he answered looking down at his plate of red pasta to avoid their stares. "Do people in the North Pole really live in igloos?" Lilo asked clearly as fascinated as Pleakley. Riku nodded as he picked the noodles with his fork. He didn't know how long he can hide his true identity, he was a complete stranger to this world, yet they welcomed him into their home. They have been so kind to him, it made him sick to have to deceive these good people for the sake of balance. He was shaken away from his musings by the sound of the little island girl's voice, "What's wrong Riku? You haven't touched your spaghetti." said Lilo from across the table.

Riku looked up at Lilo and then at his full plate of saucy noodles. "I'm fine, I just don't feel hungry right now." he replied.

It was true, a few minutes ago he was famished, but now it seems his hunger has suddenly vanished. As strange as it was to him he paid no mind to this sudden change of appetite, he was rarely hungry.

"Oh no!" Pleakley despaired, "Is it the sauce? I knew I should've added more garlic!"

"No no, it's fine, I just don't have much of an appetite tonight that's all. Thanks anyway." said Riku politely.

At the end of his sentence, Stitch immediately went on the table, snatched up Riku's untouched plate and dumped all the pasta into his large mouth then let out a loud belch that seemed to echo all around the house.

"Stitch!" Lilo said indignantly. The blue experiment laughed nervously rubbing the back of his head. "Stitch! How dare you take this young man's food?!" Pleakley said frowning, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that young sir." he said as he shooed Stitch off the table. Riku chuckled, he has never been regarded so highly before. "It's okay I don't mind at all." he said shaking his head. There was flash of white light from outside causing everyone to turn toward the window. "Was that lightning?" Lilo asked curiously. "That's strange, the weather man said it was going to warm all week." Pleakley said contemplatively. Riku froze, remembering how the storm began with dark clouds and lightning.

He stood up abruptly, "I have to go." he said as he left the table. "What? So soon?" asked Pleakley disappointedly. "I'm sorry." Riku said curtly turning around to leave but stopped abruptly when he spotted a large figure coming down the stairs from the other side of the kitchen. Everyone followed his gaze to the door near the stairs as the figure entered the kitchen.

"What's all this commotion?" said a male voice, the foreign accent thick.

Riku again looked on in shock as he saw that this person had not one, but four eyes on his enlarged bald head. "Hi Jumba." Lilo greeted, "You got here just in time, I made a new friend, this is Riku. He's from the North Pole." she introduced. Jumba's four eyes gazed upon the silver-haired teen. "Hmmm… he is looking a little strange." Jumba said suspiciously.

Riku froze, he knows… "Well of course!" exclaimed Pleakley getting up from his seat, "He is after all a foreigner, it's apparent that most people would find this fellow's appearance a bit strange." There was another flash of lightning, suddenly the whole house began to shake violently, dishes falling out of the shelves and shattering on the tiled floor.

"EARTH QUAKE!!" screamed Pleakley as he ducked under the table, followed by Lilo, Stitch jumped onto the table trying to hold it in place while Jumba held on to the wall to keep himself steady. Riku tried keeping his balance on his feet but soon fell on his bottom, he looked up in time to see a large piece of the ceiling about to give way. He quickly rolled onto his stomach and covered his head as the piece of the ceiling came crashing down on him. Lilo screamed as a plate crashed beside her. Riku listened to the sounds of glass breaking and wood snapping as he waited for this violent quake to end. Suddenly the shaking stopped, everything was disturbingly silent with the exception of the walls creaking.

Riku slowly lifted his head above the floor, he looked around the now disheveled house. "Is everyone alright?" he asked aloud as he got to his feet, brushing off bits of rubble from his hair and clothes.

"Yeah." Lilo answered back as she emerged from beneath the table with Pleakley. "That was not normal ground quake." Jumba stated as he brushed off dust from his nearly hairless head. "We must evacuate the premises immediately!" Pleakley ordered.

Without another word, everyone went outside, being careful not to trip on the debris. They climbed down the stairs, Riku looked up, watching dark clouds form all across the once blue sky. This was just like what happened at his island, what was going on? This couldn't be mere coincidence, something was causing this, or someone… could that stranger from earlier be behind this?

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the ground in their path causing Lilo to scream in terror.

"Come on!" Riku shouted over the intense winds, gesturing them to follow him. However they could not go any further, right where the bolt of lightning struck the ground appeared a dark round shadow. It slowly rose from the ground as it began to change form, it stretched upward stopping at Riku's height, then it began to take the form of a human being. Riku watched as it began molding itself, until, to his astonishment, the shadow disappeared behind Riku's image. The Riku twin opened it's red eyes as it smiled maliciously, though the two looked exactly alike, the imposter had dark rings under his eyes and dark symbols on his arms resembling tattoos.

The Hawaiian family gazed at the two Rikus in bewilderment, "What's going on?!" Lilo exclaimed.

Pleakley looked as if his eye was going to pop out of his head, "Th--There's two of him!" he choked out. Riku stepped back and summoned his weapon. "Go! I'll hold him off!!" Riku ordered.

The winds were getting stronger like before as a clap of thunder boomed across the dark sky. Stitch shoved Lilo gently forward. "You want to fight him?!" Lilo asked incredulously. "But we can't leave you behind! You're _ohana_. Remember?" she said pleadingly. Stitch shook his head. "Lilo go. Stitch fight." said the blue experiment. "But--" "Little girl! We must be going, now!" Jumba said loudly as he picked the island girl up from the ground. "NO! I'm--not--leaving--Stitch!" cried Lilo struggling in Jumba's arms. "626, you help silver-haired stranger fight." Stitch nodded. "We must get to space ship, hurry!" Jumba shouted. "NOOO!!" Lilo screamed as Jumba carried her away from the scene Pleakley following at his heels.

The imposter then raised a hand and there appeared a giant sword with red symbols engraved on the flat side of it. Riku assumed his fighting pose as he looked down at the blue alien. "You sure you can fight?" he asked 626. "Eh, yeah, yeah!" Stitch said nodding enthusiastically as he suddenly sprouted two extra arms, then two antennas on his head and quills on his back. Riku raised his eyebrows, there was more to this creature than meets the eye. "Alright... Let's do it."" he said as he braced himself for battle beside Stitch, who was growling menacingly at the Riku imposter.

Riku's copy suddenly jumped back and swung his giant sword, a blue light shooting out of the massive weapon and straight for the two heroes, who jumped out of harm's way just before it destroyed the red jeep behind them. Out of the explosion came four round yellow pistols, Stitch leaped into the air as he grabbed all four of the guns with his four hands and began shooting the imposter, who started performing a series of back flips, avoiding the greens lasers. Riku rolled behind the imposter and swung his keyblade, but the twin Riku anticipated his attack and blocked the attack with the sword.

Riku then jumped back and began shooting his twin with his dark cannon, the blasts struck the target, causing it to stumble, knocking its guard down. Taking advantage of this, Stitch rolled into a ball and flung himself at the Riku clone, but was suddenly bounced back when he made contact with a force field the clone created, sending the blue alien flying backwards and crashing into a tree.

Riku attacked again with the dark cannon attack with his hand, which were blocked by the force field, he then jumped at the clone swinging his keyblade, making contact with the enemy at last. He beat the clone several times before it countered with it's giant sword and flung Riku backwards, landing on his back. The clone jumped high into the air, the weapon high above it's head ready to strike down the silver-haired teen. Thinking fast, Riku rolled back on his hands and sprang back onto his feet, blocking the imposter's attack with his keyblade. The two Rikus glared at one another for a moment before jumping back far away from each other. Riku held his weapon at the ready as Stitch reappeared beside the keyblade bearer. The Riku clone slugged the enormous sword onto it's shoulders as it assumed a fighting stance.

Riku gazed at his evil clone, then turned to the blue experiment next to him, who in turn gazed up at him. They both nodded. Stitch then blasted the dark clone with his gun once more, the clone anticipating this, jumped into the air missing the fiery blast, which was exactly what Riku knew he would do.

"NOW!!" Riku shouted.

Stitch nodded as he rolled into a ball, bouncing himself high into the dark and dangerous sky. Riku then jumped into a palm tree, bending it as close to the ground as possible, the palm tree then flung the keyblade warrior into the air to join the four-armed experiment. The Riku clone looked up in bewilderment as the balled up experiment began to spin, The real Riku came up next to the spinning ball, he drew his leg back and gave the ball a powerful kick, launching the ball at the clone at an incredible speed. The clone braced itself for impact but was struck down painfully into the ground by the ball, causing the ground to shake. Riku landed back onto the ground safely as Stitch joined him by his side.

They waited as the winds began to pick up speed, suddenly the clone clumsily got onto its feet, clearly wounded from the attack. Riku and Stitch braced for attack. The clone stood silent, then smiled wickedly as it began to laugh maniacally in a distorted voice.

Riku contemplated his next move, but suddenly became dizzy again, he inhaled deeply trying to control himself, he can't lose consciousness now, not during a battle. He gazed at the clone, blinking as his eyes began to blur, he grabbed his head trying desperately to stay awake. "W--What--?" he muttered, why was this happening now of all times? This has never happened to him before, he never got sick so easily. He staggered back into a tree, leaning against it to keep himself from falling.

Stitch looked at the clone then at the original Riku a bit worriedly, knowing that he cannot defeat this enemy alone. The clone took out his giant sword and pointed it to the sky, a dark aura began to appear within the weapon, then suddenly he turned it over and stabbed the ground beneath him. Red symbols began to appear all over the ground, suddenly the land began to change, the dark aura spread out into the land, trees were wilting as the plants began to shrivel up to nothingness. Riku gazed at the pandemonium around him, there was no escaping this, he knew that, but he can't give up, even if it means being trapped in a field of everlasting darkness and never being able to see the light of day again, he won't give in, not as long as his heart remains strong.

The winds began to pick up speed, but the winds were not coming from the storm. Riku listened closely to the wind and heard a strange noise, it sounded like the revving of an engine. Stitch's ears pricked up as he looked towards the sky, the keyblade bearer followed the experiment's gaze and saw a giant red and white ship descend upon the battlefield, throwing the dark clone off guard. The ship hovered above the ground as it came to a stop, the ship's door opened, Lilo appeared inside the open door, "GET IN!!" she yelled above the roar of the engine.

Stitch immediately jumped through the door, Riku tried to keep his balance as he made his way to the open door shaking off the dizziness. He reached out to the door, Stitch grabbed his outstretched hand and pulled him inside the ship, shutting the door as they took to the stormy skies, leaving behind the deteriorating land. Laying on the floor, Riku blinked trying to bring his surroundings into focus, but the dizziness overpowered him, he looked up at the ceiling, then slowly closed his eyes as he faded into unconsciousness.

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Sora lied on the bed, staring up at the murky ceiling, the King's letter laid open beside him. He couldn't help but wonder who that man from the alley was, King Mickey sent him that much was certain. He went over the message again in his mind, 

_"Something you should know about."_

That part seemed unusual to him, if it was urgent, they would have told them in the letter, but something they _should _know about_… _Are the worlds in trouble again? Maybe not, there would've been no need to for him to come. He sensed that something wasn't right, the message was vague, that was never a good sign. Perhaps it has something to do with Kingdom Hearts, someone else must be trying to unlock its secrets. Whatever it was, he will have to wait for the explanation from the King. He said he needed to speak to the three of them… but Kairi's the only one with him, could Riku be coming to this world with King Mickey? Maybe that was why he wrote his and Kairi's name, that had to be it.

There was a knock on the door, jolting Sora from his musings. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's me." came Kairi's voice as she opened the door.

"Oh, hey." Sora greeted sitting up on the bed.

"Come on, some of Tifa's friends are taking us to King Mickey's castle."

Sora stood up from the bed, "Wait, the King's not coming?" he asked incredulously. Kairi shook her head, "We've been summoned to his castle. Come, the others are waiting." she beckoned, Sora nodded and left the room with her. So the King wasn't coming after all, whatever it is the King needed to tell them must be serious. When the two keyblade bearers reached the bottom of the stairs, they found Tifa and a familiar spiky-haired blonde waiting for them.

"Cloud!" Sora said surprised.

"Hey," Cloud greeted, "Come on, we better get going." he said as he turned and went out the entrance.

"Thank you for everything." Kairi said politely, "Yeah, thanks." Thanked Sora following Kairi's actions. "Anytime." Tifa said smiling warmly. Exchanging final farewells, the two teens left the 7th Heaven saloon.

They met Cloud outside standing next to his motorcycle. It was bigger than the average motorbike, it was painted jet black with narrow handle bars pointed toward the driver instead of spread open on the sides. Sora gazed at the motorbike in utter fascination, "Whoa… Nice bike." he said in awe. "Thanks." said Cloud as he swung his leg over to the other side of the bike. "Hop on." he said moving closer to the front of the bike making more room on the seats.

Both teens did as they were told, Sora helped Kairi onto the seat behind Cloud as he accommodated himself in the remainder of the back seat. "You ready?" Cloud asked looking back at the two keyblade bearers, who nodded.

"Alright, hold on tight." Cloud advised as he turned his attention to the road ahead, adjusting the goggles over his eyes. Kairi wrapped her arms around Cloud's waist as Sora did the same to Kairi's slim curves, blushing furiously. The engine roared into life, steam flowing from beneath them. Kairi tightened her grip on Cloud's waist as the three of them sped off into the city streets. The two teens held on tightly as they zoomed past automobiles, everything around them passing their eyes in a blur. After several minutes of weaving in and out of local streets, they turned upon an open dirt road. Sora leaned to the side slightly, catching a glimpse of the approaching wasteland ahead of them.

"So where exactly are you taking us?" the spiky-haired teen asked the ex-SOLDIER.

"I'm taking you to a launching site, there's a gummi ship waiting for you there." Cloud said raising his voice over the wind pressing against their ears.

"A gummi ship? Donald and Goofy are here too?!" Sora asked excitedly.

"No, Cid's going to pilot the ship." Cloud said keeping his eyes on the terrain.

"Then, where are Donald and Goofy? Are they with the King?" asked Kairi.

Cloud shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, probably." he replied, "Look, we're almost there." he said as Sora and Kairi leaned on opposite sides gazing in awe at the gummi ship launch site.

A large white and blue gummi ship stood above a concrete launch pad, it was tall with a pointed nose at the top, it stood up on four blue wings sitting between a high-powered engine. They could see several small buildings around the vicinity with several people crowding around the blue ship. "Whoa…" Sora sighed. The motorcycle screeched to a stop outside the launching site, switching off the ignition Cloud got of the motorbike. Sora climbed off the seat, then turned to help Kairi off of the large motor vehicle. The three of them walked past the surrounding buildings, the gummi ship towered high above them as they came closer to it.

Sora and Kairi gazed at it in wonder, then saw a man with a white t-shirt and short blonde hair, waving at them. "HEY!" he called out to them. Sora and Kairi waved back, "Hey Cid, it's been a while." Sora greeted him. "About dang time," the mechanic laughed, "What took ya'? Did you go all the way to France to pick up these kids?" he asked Cloud.

"Hey! We're not kids!" Sora said indignantly.

"Alright, alright, easy!" said Cid putting his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, cut him some slack." Cloud told Sora, who pouted. "And you," he said pointing at Cid, "Cut _me_ some slack. I play delivery boy on the King's orders and yet you're the one busting my chops." Cloud said chuckling.

"Well it wouldn't kill you to show up on time for once." Cid said wiping the sweat off his forehead. Kairi chuckled. "Is this the friend you've been searching for all this time for?" Cid asked Sora, who nodded. "I'm Kairi. Nice to meet you." she said politely. "Pleasure's all mine little lady." he said shaking her hand. "So are we all set for launch then?" "Yeah." Sora replied. Cloud nodded and turned to leave.

"W-Wait, aren't you coming Cloud?" Sora asked.

"I have to stay here in case things start to get out of hand." he replied.

Sora was silent for a moment then nodded. "Understood." he replied curtly.

"Have a nice trip." said Cloud as he walked on to his motorbike.

"Alright, we better get you tikes on board." Cid said as he headed for the blue gummi ship.

Ignoring the comment, Sora followed the mechanic with Kairi by his side. They came to an elevator and stepped inside, Cid pulled a lever and the chain doors clanked shut as they began to rise above the ground. Sora gazed at the shadows passing the door, almost mesmerized, then the elevator stopped as Cid pulled the lever again the chain doors opening in front of them. They stepped onto the high platform, being sure to pay attention to their surroundings, Sora looked down to the ground and realizing just how high up they were, stepped away from the edge of the platform, they suddenly came to a door on the side of the ship. They stopped in front of the door, Sora noticed that there were several small buttons next to the entrance.

The two teens watched as Cid pushed several buttons, they heard a clicking sound, then suddenly the door opened on its own. "Well, here we are." said Cid holding the door open as Kairi entered the cockpit first. Sora entered the door next and gasped, the room he entered was large, in the middle sat five black leather seats facing the large window. He looked around and saw to his surprise a medium-sized refrigerator, next to a full-sized kitchen, consisting of a counter complete with a sink and cupboards. What amazed him the most was how unbelievably clean it was, there wasn't a speck of dust in sight.

"Whoa…" Sora sighed amazed. Kairi emerged from behind a black curtain, "Sora you have to come see this!" she said excitedly. Sora followed her to the back and through a surprisingly wide and well lit hallway lined with several doors, the spiky-haired teen stopped in front of a door and opened it. Behind the door was a complete white-tiled bathroom, complete with a shower.

"Whoa! This ship actually has a bathroom!" he exclaimed.

"That's not all." said Cid coming through the curtain. "It also has five separate bedrooms, each one seven feet in length and eight feet in width and equipped with air conditioning. The downside is that there's only one bathroom, so we're gonna have to share it."

The two teens gazed about in fascination, "Did you build this?" Kairi asked the mechanic.

"Yep, took a years worth of work but she turned out beautiful." Cid replied fondly.

"You're ship is amazing Cid." Sora replied in awe. Cid laughed, "Thanks but this one's not one of mine." Sora looked at him surprised.

"It's a loaner from the King's personal fleet." he replied.

Sora's eyes widened, "This is King Mickey's ship?!" he said bewildered.

"Sure is. What'd you expect from a king?" Cid said smirking, "Well, time to blast off." he said as he disappeared behind the curtain. Sora took one last look around the living quarters and went through the dark velvet curtain, he sat down in one of the leather seats as he surveyed his surroundings, kings truly knew how to live. He watched Cid take the front of the ship pressing a few buttons on the control panel. He flipped a few switches and grabbed a small speaker putting it to his lips,

"Control tower, this is Cid Highwind of the Kingdom III, we are ready for take off." he spoke into the speaker, his voice echoing outside the ship.

"_Roger. Preparing for launch._" said another voice.

The people that crowded the gummi ship immediately scattered to the far-off buildings, as the lights that surrounded the launch site began to flash. Sora looked out the window watching the spectacle as Kairi came out of the curtain taking a seat in an empty leather chair.

"Checking the vessel's status." said Cid into the speaker in his hand.

"All systems go. Engine function: green. Armor: 100. Defense systems: green, navigation systems: green. Beginning countdown." said the control tower voice.

"Better buckle up." Cid advised as he strapped his seatbelt across his chest. Sora quickly buckled his safety belt, Kairi doing the same as the voice began to count down from fifteen.

"12...11...10..." Sora and Kairi exchanged looks, excitement written on their expressions. "Kairi, do you think Riku might be there waiting for us?" asked Sora. Kairi smiled, "Without a doubt." she replied as she placed her hand in his.

"…6...5..." The entire ship began to shake as the engines began to warm up. "…3...2..." Sora and Kairi held their breaths as they braced themselves for the finishing numbers. "…1...0!"

The engine roared into life, powerful flames shooting out of the engines as the gummi ship launched into the sky with surprising speed. The two keyblade warriors felt themselves being pushed back into the seats as the ship burst forth into the sky, leaving the site and the world far behind.

Meanwhile Cloud, who was on his way back to the 7th Heaven Saloon, stopped his motorbike a few miles away from the launching site and gazed up at darkening sky, watching as the Kingdom III disappeared into the atmosphere, leaving a white stream of smoke behind them. He smiled as he adjusted his goggles, turning his eyes to the road to the city. "Good luck Sora." he said softly as he again sped off to his destination.

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Darkness covered Riku's eyes, he felt as if he was floating on a cloud. He felt strangely safe, nothing could harm him here, something was protecting him, what was it that made him feel so tranquil? He did not know, even so, did it really matter? He gazed out into the blackness, someone was there, but who? He came closer, recognizing the brown spiky hair. "Sora?" Riku spoke out his voice carrying on in an echo. Suddenly a feminine figure appeared beside Sora, her dark-red hair framing her slender face. "Kairi… I…" "Don't say anything Riku." said Sora, "We'll see each other real soon, you'll see." he said smiling. "But first…" Kairi began, smiling warmly, "You need to wake up." "What?" Riku said confused. "C'mon Riku, _wake up." _Sora said demandingly. "_Wake up Riku…"_ Kairi whispered.

There was a flash of white light as their voices became more distant. Then he heard a different voice, it was a little girl's. "Riku, wake up. Open your eyes!" Riku stirred, then slowly opened his ice-blue eyes, finding himself in a full-sized bed. He blinked as he tried to bring his eyes into focus, he stared into a pair of brown eyes looking down at him. "Lilo..?" he mumbled. The little island girl sighed with relief, "You're okay… Thank goodness."

Riku gazed at his surroundings, he was in some kind of room, the walls were a pale beige. He sat up in bed, suddenly hitting his head on the top bunk. He groaned in pain as he placed his hand on his sore head. Lilo then held out a sagging ice-filled plastic bag to him. "You might want to take this…" she said offering him the ice bag. Riku looked at the bag for a moment then took it from her and placed it on his head, sighing as he felt the soothing cold temperature run through his head and neck.

"Where am I?" he asked Lilo.

"We're on Jumba's space ship. We uh… Kinda had to leave the planet." she said hesitantly.

Riku stared out of the window, he saw millions of stars that littered the navy blue sky. "What happened to your world?" Riku asked. Lilo frowned as she dropped her eyes to the floor. "Jumba tried to land somewhere else but couldn't, the whole island, no, the whole world was covered in this black stuff, we had no choice…" she said taking a deep breath. "We couldn't find my sister Nani, and… and…" She hiccupped as tears appeared in the Hawaiian girl's eyes. Riku stood silent, hearing the girl's sorrow. He stared out into the infinite depths of space.

"It's all my fault." he said softly.

Lilo looked up at him surprised, "What do you mean? You were the one who tried to stop him, you and Stitch did your best." she said hastily wiping her tears from her eyes.

Riku said nothing, though what she said was true, it didn't make him feel any better. Their world was gone because of him, he knew without a doubt in his mind that the man that attacked him when he first arrived was the one who sent that dark being of himself to destroy him along with the world.

"Riku..?" Lilo said aloud breaking the silence.

Riku looked out the window once more, "So, where exactly are going?" he said casually trying to change the subject.

"I don't know. I asked Jumba but he told me to come check on you." she replied. Riku's eyes narrowed, apparently this Jumba knew his way around the other worlds, which means that he might be of help to him in finding Sora and Kairi. He got to his feet and made his way to the front of the ship. There he found Pleakley sitting in a chair, sleeping by one of the windows.

"So, you're awake." said a thick voice. Riku looked ahead of him to find the large alien Jumba in the driver's seat, gazing at the silver-haired warrior. Riku stood silent, no knowing how to respond to the alien's comment. Jumba sighed as he messaged his hairless head, "I know what you are." he said.

Riku lowered his eyes. "……I'm sorry about what happened to your world, I know it's my fault." he said avoiding Jumba's four eyes. Jumba was silent for a moment, "There is nothing to be forgiving, I know you are not bad creatures from outside world." Riku looked up at the alien scientist, waiting for him to continue. "I thank you for helping 626 in fighting dark shadow." Riku was silent, relieved to know that he has earned Jumba's trust.

"Where are you taking us?" he asked.

"Looking for safe place to stay. So far no place has been found." Jumba said turning his attention to the window. "Little girl says that you are searching for friends, perhaps they are in other worlds like you."

Riku sat down in the seat next to Jumba. "I hope so." he said softly, gazing at the stars all around the dark-blue skies. They flew on through space on auto-pilot for several minutes, Riku staring out the window while everyone else slept. Suddenly Riku saw something out of the corner of his eye, he turned his head to the left side of the window and sat up. There was something in the distance that was coming closer and closer, Riku could see a tall building with several towers and blue roof tiles, it appeared to be a castle.

"Jumba… Hey, Jumba wake up." said Riku shaking the martian awake. Jumba grunted as his four eyes flickered open. "What? What? What is it?" he mumbled half asleep.

"I think I found us a place to stay." said Riku as the world came into full view.

Jumba gazed at the tall building, "What sort of place is that?" he asked.

Riku said nothing for a moment, finally he could get some answers as to the current situation. "That, is King Mickey's castle." he said finally as the ship prepared to disembark.

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**End of chapter! Sorry for the long wait, I hope you liked the chapter. Time for me to get chapter four started, see ya! ; )**


	4. Bad news and happy reunions

**Here it is, the long awaited chapter 4!! I'm sorry for the long wait, there were some minor setbacks on my computer so I was held up. So without further adieu, here is Chapter 4!! Enjoy!! XD**__

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__All was quiet in Disney Castle, with the exception of the swishing of straw as the walking brooms traversed along the grand hallways carrying buckets of water. King Mickey was alone in the library, pacing back and forth across the room anxiously awaiting the arrival of the keyblade bearers. He paused and looked up at the glass roof above him. Though he was certain that Sora and Kairi had received the message, he was still feeling uneasy. The news of Riku's encounter with someone capable of free control over the darkness was disturbing, but not as disturbing as the gift the three good fairies placed upon him to save his life from darkness.

He sighed as he resumed his pacing around the library, he didn't know which was worse, the rise of a more powerful form of darkness, or Riku's current condition. How could things get so out of hand in so little time? Perhaps if he had been more vigilant, none of this would have happened. And Riku… his condition is going to become more apparent in later weeks, someone is going to have to explain what exactly is wrong with him, and he knew _that_ someone was going to be himself, the very thought of telling the young keyblade master about the gift was unnerving.

Suddenly the library doors opened, interrupting the King from his thoughts, he turned toward the doors to find Queen Minnie poking her head through the open door.

"Mickey?" she called softly.

"Over here Minnie." Mickey replied plopping down on a chair behind his desk.

"Lunch is ready. You want me to bring you something?" she asked. The King shook his head, "No thanks Minnie, I'm uh, gonna pass on lunch today." he said rubbing his forehead.

"Oh, but it's your favorite," she said frowning, "are you sure you don't want anything?" she asked worriedly. "Yeah I'm sure, thanks anyway." he said turning his gaze to the various papers on his desk. "Oh… Alright." said Minnie nodding once and disappearing from view behind the door.

Meanwhile in the gummi hangar, Chip and Dale were doing their monthly clean-up, with Chip dusting the control tower as well as the pipes, and Dale suspending himself in the air with a long rope to grease the giant gears and cogs. Chip grabbed a broom and began sweeping the floor, dust flying up to his nose causing him to cough and sneeze.

He sighed exasperatedly as he wiped his black nose, "How's it going up there Dale?" he asked his rodent comrade, who lowered himself down from the ceiling, a paint brush in one paw and a pale of grease in the other. "Almost done Chip!" he called from above, "Just one more gear." he said giving him a thumbs up.

He tries to pull the rope to haul himself up but suddenly starts fumbling with the brush in his paw, desperately he tries to catch it but it causes him to loosen his grip on the pale handle. Chip watched as his partner juggled between the lubrication tools, "Dale! Be careful with the--!" Before Chip could finish his warning, the airborne chipmunk drops the pale, sending it crashing down onto the floor completely splattering Chip with slimy grease.

"Heheh… oops." said Dale laughing nervously at the mess of grease upon the floor and on his friend.

"_Grease_…" Chip sighed finishing his sentence as he wiped away the grease from his furry face.

They were suddenly interrupted by a beeping sound coming from the control booth.

"The radar picked up something!" exclaimed Chip dropping the broom and running towards the stairs, nearly slipping on the floor.

"Hey! Wait up!" yelled Dale as he fell from the ceiling, landing on the floor with a light thud. Having reached the control booth, Chip immediately approached the control panel, gazing at a round green screen with a revolving light, he watched it carefully as it passed over a bright dot blinking on the upper left corner of the screen.

"Is it the Kingdom III?" Dale asked appearing beside his partner.

"Hold on, let me check." said Chip sitting down upon a chair and grabbing a mini speaker. "This is Chip and Dale of the Disney Castle gummi hangar, do you read?" he said into the mike.

Aboard the red and white ship, Jumba held fast to the steering rods, suddenly a metallic voice spoke out from the speakers. "_Incoming transmission."_ said the voice. "Play transmission." Jumba ordered. The metallic voice was suddenly replaced by a high squeaky voice. "_This is Chip and Dale of the Disney Castle gummi hangar, do you read?" _came Chip's high-pitched voice.

Riku stood up from his seat, "We have to have their permission to land." he said.

"I think it best that you speak to squeaky voice." said Jumba as he grabbed a small microphone and held it up to the silver-haired teen. Riku took the mike from him and put it to his lips, "We read you." he said into the mike. 

_"Are you friend or foe?" _asked Chip from the gummi hangar.

"Friend." Riku answered.

Dale sighed with relief, "That's good news." he said.

Before Chip could say anything more, King Mickey suddenly entered the booth, "Did my ship arrive?" he asked the furry pair.

The Chipmunks immediately stood bolt up straight, "Your Majesty!" they said in unison bringing their paws to their heads in a military salute. 

_"Requesting permission to land." _came Riku's voice from the speakers.

Mickey's eyes widened, "Wait, that voice…" he muttered as he approached the control panel. He looked down at the radar screen and grabbed the hand-mike. "Riku? Is that you?!" he asked speaking into the mike.

Riku blinked, recognizing the king's voice, "Yeah it's me." he replied.

"Thank goodness your alright." said King Mickey, "Are Sora and Kairi there with you?" he asked.

Riku said nothing, so the King knew nothing of his friends whereabouts. They could be anywhere now, it's not going to be easy to find them again, but with the King's help it should be easier.

"_Riku? Are you there?"_ came Mickey's voice, pushing Riku away from his thoughts. "Yeah, um, no they're not here. We were separated by a storm on our home world. I'm with a family that could really use some help." Riku said solemnly.

Mickey was silent for moment, "Alright, we're gonna clear you for landing." he said pressing a few buttons on the panel.

"Got it." Riku replied curtly, switching off the mike and placing it on a holster upon the wall.

"What's up?" asked Lilo emerging from the back of the ship.

"Did you find us a place to stay?" asked Pleakley as he stretched his body, shaking off the rest of his sleepiness. Riku turned toward the Hawaiian family, "Yeah, we're landing right now." he replied.

Mickey turned to the two gummi engineers, "Open the hatch." he ordered. "Sir!" said Chip and Dale saluting before taking control of the panel.

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Inside the Kingdom III, Sora wondered about the ship, taking in every detail of the impressive space craft while Kairi sat next to a window, staring serenely at the vast darkness of space. Cid remained at the wheel, sipping on a white mug as he gazed out at the distant sky watching out for their destination.

Everything was strangely placid, they have been flying for about an hour so far, without any interference from Heartless space ships, a phenomenon that did not go unnoticed. Sora emerged from the back of the ship, he yawned and stretched as he sat down upon the leather seat by the window. "How much longer till we get there?" Sora asked Cid.

"At this speed, it shouldn't be more than a few minutes." Cid replied taking another swig from his coffee mug. "Then we'll see Riku again, I'm sure of it." Kairi said cheerfully. Sora nodded, he gazed out of the window for a moment then turned his head toward the mechanic, "Hey Cid, what exactly is going on? Are the Heartless attacking the worlds again or maybe someone is trying to take hold of Kingdom Hearts?"

There was a moment of silence as Cid placed his white mug onto a large cup holder.

"Well kids, it's like this…" said Cid turning around in his seat to face the two keyblade warriors. "There have been some strange things happenin lately. A few days ago, we heard talk 'bout some evil force out there that just showed up and started causin' a whole mess of trouble. No one knows where this thing came from or what exactly is it, but one thing for sure, it ain't good."

"An… Evil force?" Sora asked.

"Is this force taking control of the Heartless?" Kairi asked.

Cid shook his head, "That's the thing, the Heartless and this dark thing don't get along, what's more, we haven't seen hide or antenna of them Heartless anywhere. Whatever this thing is, it's even got the Heartless runnin for the hills."

"…Yeah, now that you mention it, we didn't see any Heartless while we were in Midgar." said Kairi contemplatively.

Sora sat up straighter in his seat "So… Where did all the Heartless go?" He asked bewildered by this tale.

"Who knows." said Cid as he picked up his mug and brought it to his lips, "Even the Heartless ships have all gone, which is why we'll probably get to Disney Castle sooner than they expect." he said taking a sip from his mug.

Sora sat back into the seat, this is indeed strange, the Heartless being nowhere in sight and at the face of an unknown source of darkness was pretty disturbing. Usually the Heartless ally themselves with the strongest side, could it be that they are now fighting on their own side? Impossible, Heartless only act on instinct, they're not capable of thinking for themselves.

Perhaps the reason for their absence is because this new enemy has become a greater threat to them as well as everything that stood in its path. It didn't make any sense, what could possibly be so powerful a force that even the Heartless, the foulest creatures he has ever known, have come to fear?

Sora shivered slightly, whatever this is, it's even sent the Heartless into submission. He could only hope that this new source of darkness does not find Riku.

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The Pelekai family disembarked upon the gummi hangar. Lilo looked around in awe as King Mickey lead the four of them and Riku up the high stairway that spiraled above the hangar. "So, are you really a King?" Lilo asked Mickey. "Yep." Mickey replied, "I know I don't look it." he added chuckling.

"Well let me just say that it is such an honor to be welcomed into your lovely castle your Highness." Pleakley said as Jumba rolled his four eyes in annoyance. The King and Riku decided to discuss the current situation later since they thought it best not to do so in midst company. They finally reached the top of the stairs where a large door stood, the door suddenly opened to reveal a green courtyard.

Riku eyes swept around the courtyard, it consisted mostly of neatly trimmed leaves and grass, along with some interesting landscape figures in the shape of animals playing musical instruments. "Wow…" Lilo sighed with excitement as she gazed at the high walls that surrounded the courtyard, "I can't believe we're actually inside a real castle!" "This is absolutely amazing!" Pleakley said nodding as he looked about the green courtyard, "Elegant, yet simple. Although it could use a little more pizzazz…" Pleakley stopped in mid-sentence when he saw two strange looking characters emerge from behind one of the landscaping figures.

One them was tall with a lime green hat and two large front teeth, while the other was short with white feathers, a yellow beak and a blue hat and vest. "Donald, Goofy." said King Mickey suddenly noticing that they were there. Both Donald and Goofy straightened up with their hands at their sides, "Your Majesty!" they said in unison. Their eyes widened at the sight of the silver-haired keyblade warrior, "R-RIKU?!" Donald and Goofy said in bewilderment.

"You know them?" Lilo asked looking up at Riku confused.

Riku said nothing, he didn't want to get cause any further controversy with the family, though he knew he couldn't keep this a secret for long. Mickey frowned as he brought his index finger to his lips in a gesture of silence, "I need the two of you to escort this family to the audience chamber, try to make them as comfortable as possible. I just need to talk to Riku for a sec', I'll explain everything later." he said in a low voice.

"Got'cha." Goofy said nodding.

"No problem." said Donald.

Mickey turns toward the family, "Alright everybody, let's get you settled." he said gesturing toward a door behind a giant hedge.

They entered the door and made their way up a small flight of stairs until they came upon a wide colonade with two wooden doors at the far end of the hallway. Pleakley looked around admiring his surroundings as they traveled down the long hallway. They stopped in front of a giant door. "Here we are." said Goofy facing the enormous door. Lilo stared up at the door in awe, "But, how are we supposed to get in?" asked the little Hawaiian girl.

As if in answer to her question, a normal sized door opened within the left giant door. "Cool!" Lilo sighed. "Right this way." said Donald standing aside the door to let their guests pass through. The little blue experiment began sniffing the air curiously, he then turns toward the open door as he licked his lips and immediately runs inside the chamber.

"Wait up Stitch!" Lilo exclaimed as she ran inside after him.

Pleakley began to walk inside then stopped when he noticed that Riku was standing at the far side of the door. "Wait, aren't you coming Riku?" asked Pleakley.

Riku shook his head, "I''ll come by later." he said as he shot a quick glance at King Mickey, who in turn gave him a slight nod.

"Alright, suit yourself." said Pleakey disappearing through the door followed by Jumba, the door closing behind them. Both Riku and the King stood silent for a moment, making sure that no one was around.

"Let's go to the library." Mickey said finally. Riku nodded as he followed the King to the wooden doors at the end of the hallway. Once they were inside, the King shut the wooden doors firmly as he made sure that he and the keyblade warrior were indeed alone. Satisfied, he turns to face the silver-haired teen.

"I was hoping you were coming Riku, we need to talk." said King Mickey.

"No kidding." said Riku leaning against the wall beside the door folding his arms, "My world was swallowed up by something, the same thing happened with this family I came with. I'm hoping that you might have some answers for me." Mickey sat down upon the only chair in the room, "Alright, tell me everything." he said gazing at Riku expectantly.

Riku nodded and began explaining about the land-tearing storm that came from nowhere on Destiny Island, the nameless man he fought upon arrival in Hawaii and the phenomenon that occurred with the evil doppelganger. He stood silent, waiting for the King's answer. Mickey sighed, shaking his head gravely, "Things are worse than I thought." he said regretfully.

"That man from before… He's probably behind it all. Or maybe he was doing someone else's dirty work." Riku said contemplatively. "That's a possibility, but we can't jump to conclusions." said King Mickey. Riku said nothing, bringing his ice-blue eyes to the floor. His mind was filled with questions, but he knew that there might not be an answer to all of them.

"And don't worry about Sora and Kairi." said King Mickey reading the teenager's expression. "They're on their way here right now, on one of my ships." Riku looked up in astonishment, this has to be the best news he's heard in days. He smiled, "Good. At least it saves us the trouble of having to look for each other." he said looking up at the glass ceiling.

"I summoned them here to further discuss what's going on and hopefully get to the bottom of this." said King Mickey rising from his seat.

"…There's something else." Riku said abruptly.

Mickey turns to face the teenager waiting for him to continue. "After the darkness touched my body… it was strange." said Riku solemnly.

"What do you mean?" asked King Mickey confused.

Riku said nothing for a moment trying to find the right words to describe his experience. "The darkness… it was unusual." he said, "It was like… it had a mind of its own, as if it was… _alive_."

Mickey stared, the darkness coming forth of its own will? Is it possible? If what Riku says is true, then the worlds were in more danger than he first thought.

"I think the darkness is still affecting me." said Riku. "How?" Mickey asked. "I don't exactly know how, all I know is that somehow I survived from it. But when I woke up, I felt… strange." Riku said gazing at the palm of his hand, "I think that guy did something to me."

Mickey swallowed, the subject of the keyblade bearer's _condition_ was the last thing he wanted to discuss at the moment. "Aw, I'm sure it's not that bad. You just need some rest is all." Mickey said reassuringly, "Besides, you said that you saw him leave before you lost consciousness."

Riku remained silent, though he saw the man disappear with his own eyes, it was possible that he came back while he was unconscious to finish the job. What the man did to his body he did not know, all he knows is that he has no choice but to find and confront him before it's too late.

Before they can say anything else, the wooden door suddenly swung open revealing an excited Donald Duck, "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed as Goofy appeared beside him. "Sora and Kairi! They're here!" Goofy said urgently. Riku and Mickey exchanged looks, then immediately went out the door.

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Down in the gummi hangar, Sora and Kairi were still aboard the Kingdom III about to disembark. Sora stretched as he got up from his chair, "Aaahh… We made it." he yawned. "Yep, and without any of them Heartless ships slowin us down." Cid sighed. "I wonder what the King wants from us." Sora said contemplatively.

"Only one way to find out." said Cid pressing a green button on the control panel. A noise issued from the door as it slowly opened. "Come on Sora, the King's waiting." said Kairi appearing by Sora's side. He nodded as he turned to Cid, "Thanks for the lift." he said. "Same here." said Kairi. "No problem." Cid replied.

Sora and Kairi exchange glances and nodded, they grasp each other's hands as they went through the door. They made their way down the small flight of stairs and were greeted by the two small gummi engineers. "Welcome back Sora!" said Chip and Dale in unison. "It's good to be back." said Sora looking around the hangar. "Nice to meet you." Kairi greeted. "Ditto." said Dale turning red with embarrassment. "Let's go find the King." said Kairi.

"Yeah." Sora replied turning toward the staircase, he stopped abruptly, looking down upon the figure of King Mickey standing a few feet away from the two teens. "Oh! Your Majesty!" Sora exclaimed surprised by Mickey's sudden appearance. "Glad you could make it Sora, Kairi." said King Mickey smiling. "Of course your Highness." said Kairi. "_So, you two finally made it._" said a voice. The two teens gasped, they knew that voice all too well. They brought their gaze to the stairway behind Mickey and watched as the silver-haired teen came into view from the stairway.

"RIKU!!" Kairi and Sora cried happily. Riku smiled, he was as happy to see them as much as they were to see him. "You're okay! I knew we'd find you here." Kairi said with relief.

"Well, you found me." Riku said shrugging.

"Of course we found you, it's gonna take more than a lousy storm to separate us again!" Sora said holding his hand up to his best friend, who looked at it for a moment then smiled as he slapped his own hand onto Sora's, their hands locked together. "Yeah, cause we're a team. The three of us." said Riku smiling at Kairi, who also smiled as her hand joined in.

Mickey looked at the three teenagers, he was indeed happy that the three keyblade warriors found each other again, but it pained him to have to bring about another quest to save the worlds. Especially since they were just reunited. "We better get going." said King Mickey. The three teens nodded, then proceeded to follow the King up the stairs.

"So where did you two end up before you got here?" Riku asked walking up the stairway along with Sora and Kairi. "We landed in this place called Midgar," Sora replied, "Ever heard of it?" Riku shook his head, "Can't say that I have." he said. "What about you?" asked Kairi. "I'm not so sure where I was exactly, but it looked a lot like our island." said Riku.

"Really?" Sora asked surprised.

"Yeah, I'll tell you about it later." Riku replied.

"At least you're not hurt." said Kairi.

Riku said nothing, remembering how he had broken his arm upon landing in the unknown world, he wanted to tell them about his previous adventures and dangers that they could all be in right now, but he didn't want to ruin the mood now that they were back together again, he will have to tell them another time.

"Yeah." Riku said finally, "I'm just glad that you and Sora are alright."

As Sora and Kairi told Riku about their previous experiences in Midgar, they made it to the top of the stairs and entered the green courtyard. Kairi looked around in wonder, gazing at the many landscape figures that inhabited the garden.

"So, what is it that you wanted us to talk about, your Majesty?" asked Sora. "I'll explain everything once we get to the library." King Mickey replied. The teens were lead into the north colonnade, "Where are Donald and Goofy?" asked Sora looking about the large hallway for his old comrades. "They're… taking care of some guests." King Mickey replied gazing at the giant door to the audience chamber.

"You have guests?" Sora asked Mickey.

"It's a long story." Riku replied, he gazed at the end of the hallway, they were a few steps away from the library doors.

The aroma of food from the audience chamber suddenly filled Riku's nostrils, he grimaced as he placed his hand on his head trying to shake off the oncoming dizziness. "Riku are you okay?" asked Kairi worriedly seeing his pained expression. Sora and King Mickey stopped abruptly and turned toward the silver-haired teen.

"Riku? What's the matter?" asked Sora. Riku felt as if his head was spinning, losing track of his surroundings. Suddenly he felt a sickening sensation coming from his stomach, he stood still, trying to compose himself. "Riku?" came King Mickey's concerned voice. "Riku! Talk to me!" Kairi said loudly as she tried to get his attention.

Riku was silent, he closed his eyes as he took several deep breaths, trying to rid himself of this sick feeling, but to no avail.

"I don't feel so good…" he said in a low voice.

"What's wrong? A--Are you sick?" Sora asked worriedly moving in to help him.

Riku's eyes widened, feeling something rise up to his throat. He quickly went over to the stone railing, waiting for the inevitable. "Riku..?" he heard someone say, but before he could acknowledge whoever spoke, he leaned over the railing and vomited, the contents of his stomach splattering upon the ground below.

Kairi clapped her hands over her mouth as Sora gaped at him. "Riku!" he exclaimed moving in to assist the keyblade warrior but drew back when heard a sickening hack and a splattering sound. No one spoke as they waited for the retching to end. Several minutes later the vomiting ceased, Riku slumped over the stone railing, grateful that the moment of sickness was over. He panted as he buried his face in his arms.

He had never felt so humiliated, he was always looked upon as the cool and level-headed one of the group. He was however relieved that no one else but Sora, Kairi and King Mickey witnessed the embarrassing moment. "You okay?" asked Sora approaching his best friend slowly. The silver-haired teen nodded without lifting his head.

"Can we get you anything?" asked King Mickey. Riku took several breaths to relax his trembling body, "Water…" he croaked, his voice hoarse from vomiting.

"Alright, you three wait here, I'll be right back." said Mickey running hastily toward the audience chamber, leaving the three keyblade warriors alone in the colonnade.

"You want to sit down?" asked Kairi. Riku shook his head, "No, I-I'm fine." he said lifting his head up from his arms, letting the cool breeze hit his face. "Are you sure?" asked Sora making absolutely sure that Riku was well.

"Yeah." Riku replied wiping the sweat from his forehead, "I… I don't know what happened."

"Maybe it was something you ate." Sora suggested.

Riku thought hard for a moment, recollecting the spaghetti dinner in Hawaii but then remembered how he lost his appitite in the last minute and didn't eat that night. Now that he thought about it, he hasn't eaten a thing this whole time, so what could've caused him to become sick so suddenly? Perhaps his negligence in eating was the cause, or maybe… Riku's eyes narrowed, his dizzy spells and nausea are probably connected.

There was no doubt now that he was somehow being influenced by the darkness that was forcibly put into his body, could this be one of the side effects? "Riku?" came Sora's voice snapping him back to the present. "Oh, No, I didn't eat anything." Riku said quickly in response to Sora's earlier suggestion.

"Then what--?" The spiky-haired teen was interrupted by the sound of rushing footsteps coming from behind them, they turned to find King Mickey returning to them with a tall glass of water, Riku could see the condensation dripping down the glass. "I'm back." he anounced coming to a stop in front of the three teens. "You feeling alright Riku?"

"Yeah, thanks." Riku replied taking the cold glass from the King, drinking it immediately. The ice cold water soothing his burning throat, he emptied his glass in three gulps. He sighed placidly placing the empty glass on the stone railing. "Alright, let's go." he said bluntly. The other three nodded in agreement as they once again headed for the King's library.

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"Stop it! That's mine!" cried a little girl with braided blue hair and grey eyes jumping up to reach a small doll that was held out of reach by an older boy with short spiky brown hair and green eyes.

"If you want it so bad, jump higher for it!" he said smiling maliciously waving the small toy above his head.

"Gimme my doll or I'm telling!" the girl yelled jumping up to retrieve the stolen doll but missed. The boy laughed at her feeble attempts, "You'll have to catch me first!!" he yelled as he ran off into the distant woods.

"Give it back!!" the girl screamed as she ran after him. The two children ran past the forest and into a grassy field. The boy kept running, the doll still in hand. He then looked back at the little girl who was following close behind, suddenly his foot stuck something, losing his grip on the doll, he fell to the ground and landed on his stomach knocking the wind out of him.

He slowly got to his hands and knees, then looked around for the doll he had taken, but before he could find it the little girl caught up to him. "Where's my Rosie doll!!" the girl yelled furiously. "I don't have it." the spiky-haired boy replied looking around the ground.

"LIAR!" the girl screamed, "Gimme my doll!!"

"I told you, I don't have it!" the boy shouted back at her. The little girl stood on the spot, tears in her eyes. "I'm telling my mom!!" she yelled as she ran back the way she came. "I'm not lying! I'm trying to find it!!" he shouted as he ran after her. Suddenly the boy skidded to a stop, he looked up at the sky, seeing dark clouds cover the bright sun, darkening the grassy field.

The little girl stopped dead in her tracks as she looked around noticing the black clouds covering the skies completely. "What's happening!?" she asked worriedly. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground an earsplitting clap of thunder following in its wake, leaving behind a strange mark upon the ground, the two children screamed as they ran back the way they came. Suddenly a man appeared in a gust of wind, adjusting his silver-rimmed glasses.

He gazed at his surroundings with mild interest then raised his hand up, a giant sword with red glowing symbols engraved on the blade appearing in his hand. The wind began to blow harder, causing the man's white coat to flap rapidly. He paid no mind to this as he walked over to the mark caused by the lightning bolt, the mark was pulsing with darkness like a heartbeat. The man then smiled maliciously and raised the dark blade, charging it as a dark aura surrounded the giant sword.

The dark-haired man then pointed the blade toward the ground and swiftly struck the dark mark, burying the blade deep below the ground. Red symbols appeared on the ground as a black shadow emerged from the evil sword that penetrated the ground, black smoke began to cover the land, killing the grass that covered the green field. The darkness glided through the forest, trees and plants wilting as the woodland animals fled to save themselves from the dangerous shroud. The mysterious man looked to the distant valley, there lied a small village.

He smiled as he watched the darkness spreading toward the village, he waited for moment. A few moments later, screams filled the air, the dark-haired man then smiled spitefully as he listened to the painfull cries of men, women and children that inhabited the village in the distance. Suddenly he looked down at his feet to find a small doll lying upon the ground. He bent over and picked up the small object, holding it in the palm of his hand. He gazed at it, it had yellow string for hair that was covered by a blue hat that matched the doll's dress and shoes. He then looked out to the hills in the distance.

"Another one down." he said curtly disappearing in a shroud of darkness.


	5. Impossible truth

**Hey everyone! Again I apologize for the long wait, this chapter was longer than I expected, but all the same, I hope this chapter is to your liking. Thank you Cleveland! XD**

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Night has come to Disney Castle, the empty hallways glowing with a dim orange light from candles that lined the halls. Inside one of the many rooms of the castle, Riku was standing by a large window on the far side of the room, staring contemplatively through the pane of glass. He shifted his gaze downward, looking down upon a courtyard outside the castle. It was wide with a large stone platform in the center of a grassy field surrounded by stone pillars. He closed his eyes and sighed, his warm breath fogging up the cool glass. Memories from the previous meeting in the library began running through his mind…

Sora, Riku and Kairi stood beside each other, watching King Mickey pace the floor. No one spoke for several minutes until Sora broke the heavy silence.

"So…The darkness is spreading all by itself?" Sora asked after King Mickey explained everything that was going on. "That's what Yen Sid and I believe, yeah." Mickey replied.

"But, how's that possible?" asked Kairi, "I saw you and the others seal the door to the realm of darkness myself."

"Maybe the darkness found another way to get into the realm of light," said Riku.

Sora considered this for a moment, "But…if the darkness is spreading on its own, you mean that no one's controlling it?" he asked incredulously. "So far it seems that way, but we're still unsure," said King Mickey looking down at the floor. "We haven't faced anything like this before."

"Whatever this is, it has to be stopped," said Riku, "We're obviously dealing with something that's even got the Heartless running scared."

"Right," said King Mickey, "But first we have to train Kairi, for this journey you will need her help."

"Really…?" Kairi asked incredulously, her blue eyes wide with surprise. Mickey nodded, "Yep," he replied smiling at the young girl's enthusiasm, "I spoke to Yen Sid and he's decided to personally instruct you in the ways of magic."

"Who's Yen Sid?" asked Kairi. "He's the King's teacher. A very wise and powerful wizard." said Sora. Kairi began bouncing on her heels with excitement, "That means I'll be able to help fight alongside you and Riku!" she said cheerfully.

Sora laughed as he folded his arms, "You won't have to, from the way you took care of those Heartless last time, I'm sure you can fight all on your own," he said encouragingly. Kairi suddenly turned to Sora, a playful smirk on her face, "Well, in that case you better watch out, with the all-powerful Yen Sid as my teacher, I just might surpass you." she said waving her finger at him.

"Uh oh, seems you've made a new enemy Sora. Better keep your guard up." Riku joked.

"Huh? W-Wait a sec!" Sora said taking a step backward his hands up in surrender. Riku and the others laughed as Sora rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Alright, we better get the three of you settled in, we have lots to do." said King Mickey, walking toward the doors. No one said anything for a brief moment. "Hey wait," came Sora's voice, stopping the King in his tracks as he turned to face the spiky-haired teenager. "Aren't you going to train us too?" he asked pointing to Riku and himself, "Since Kairi is going to train with Yen Sid and all."

King Mickey merely smiled and said "Don't worry; I have something special in store for the two of you. Your training begins tomorrow; get plenty of rest until then."

The silver-haired keyblade bearer yawned, stretching his tired body as he sat down upon the soft bed in the middle of the bedroom. Though he felt apprehensive about the vigorous training that was to take place a dawn, he could not help but think about the mysterious man he fought in Hawaii.

He knew well enough that the stranger was to blame for the storm that tore his island away, but what he could not figure out was why the man didn't finish him at that moment before he disappeared. He heard the man say that he could not let him live, and yet he left before he could deliver a final blow. Did he leave in the hopes that the darkness would completely consume him to save him the trouble of eliminating the warrior himself?

Riku sighed exasperatedly, falling back onto the neatly-made bed. Deciding not to question the matter any further, he brought his gaze up to the white ceiling. Perhaps it was best that he keep this hidden from Sora and Kairi, he could not bear to have them filled with a constant worry for his wellbeing, especially after that embarrassing incident at the northern colonnade. Sleepiness slowly creeping over him, he lifted his legs onto the bed and rolled onto his stomach, then suddenly shifted onto his side, feeling strangely uncomfortable lying on his abdomen. Before he could ponder this, he closed his eyes and was immediately asleep.

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Inside the Tower, King Mickey was traveling up the wayward stairs, having just passed the moon chamber. He stopped in front of the door to the Sorcerer's Loft, gazing at it for a moment then sighed heavily. He opened the door slightly, poking his head through to see if anyone was inside. His eyes swept the room until they fell upon a tall figure standing on the opposite side of the room by the crescent moon-shaped window, his back facing the King.

He opened the door wider, "Master Yen Sid?" he said aloud going further into the room.

"Ah, King Mickey, Come in." said Yen Sid without turning around to face his visitor.

King Mickey entered the room, shutting the door behind him and approaching the tall wizard by the window. "I came as soon I could," he said, stopping a few feet from his teacher. "…Another world has fallen prey to the darkness." Yen Sid said gravely.

Mickey's dark eyes widened, "Already!?" he asked incredulously.

"It seems this new enemy has great knowledge of the realm of light, and how to go beyond gates to the other worlds without the power of the keyblade." said Yen Sid contemplatively.

"But, how is that possible? Without the Keyblade to open up the passageways to the other worlds, he shouldn't be able to get through!" said King Mickey. Yen Sid stood silent, shaking his head remorsefully. "I'm afraid that this is not the only problem."

"What do you mean?" asked Mickey, looking up at his master confused.

"The Angel of Light has gone missing, because of the Angel's absence, the balance between light and darkness has been disrupted. With this unknown face of darkness taking hold of our worlds, the realm of light will be lost." Mickey looked up at his master, "You don't think that something…happened to him, do you?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Yen Sid lowered his gaze, "I want to believe that he hasn't been harmed in any way as much as you do, but we can't be certain." King Mickey was silent, darkness on the rise again, worlds falling under the shadow of evil, Riku's predicament and the Angel of Light going missing. How could so many horrible things happen so fast?

"We have to stop it from spreading somehow, maybe if we find the Angel of Light first we can stop the spread of darkness for good." suggested Mickey.

"It will be no easy task." Yen Sid warned, "There is however one way to cleanse each world of this foul plague, you know the method of which I speak." he explained. King Mickey nodded fervently, "I know it won't be easy, but it's better than doing nothing at all." he said. Yen Sid nodded in agreement. "That would be the best course of action, but beware; the inhabitants of the fallen worlds have been changed by the darkness that now surrounds them. Pass on your knowledge to the keyblade bearers."

King Mickey nodded, turning around to leave. He suddenly stopped and looked up at his old teacher.

"Yen Sid… What should I tell Riku about the…_you-know-what_?"

There was a heavy silence that followed after his question, and then Yen Sid tore his eyes away from the phantasmal ocean of orange clouds and looked down upon his old apprentice.

"If you feel that the task of telling Riku about the gift falls upon you, then you may, but you must be tactful when doing so. I feel that there will be no need to tell him exactly how his condition came about, but I implore you to tell him soon." said Yen Sid.

Mickey frowned as he brought his gaze to the floor. "It's not going to be easy to explain this to him," he said shaking his head. "He's not gonna believe Me."

"I understand." Yen Sid replied as he waved his hand. Suddenly something appeared in a cloud of blue smoke in front of the wizard. Mickey peered at it to determine what just appeared. The blue dust dissipated, revealing a strange white object floating in the air.

"Should the boy doubt your word, give him this." said Yen Sid as the object floated toward King Mickey, who caught it with his open gloved hand. He looked at it closely, turning it over in his fingers. It was about half an inch thick and about as long as a pen, it looked familiar.

"Wait…is this…what I think it is?" asked Mickey, looking up at Yen Sid, who nodded. "I enhanced it with magic to raise the accuracy." he explained.

Mickey said nothing as he gazed down at the object in his hands. "What if he doesn't take it…?" he asked with uncertainty.

"I know you cannot force him to take the test, but I highly doubt that he will refuse. In order to answer his own questions, he will have to take it." Yen Sid said solemnly. King Mickey nodded, turning around and leaving his master. He opened the door and turned to face the wizard once more.

"Thanks for your help Master Yen Sid." he said. The sorcerer replied with a nod. "Good luck," he said, returning his gaze back to the window. Mickey carefully placed the white object inside his back pocket and left the loft without a word with the door magically closing behind him as he traveled back down the wayward stairs.

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The halls of Disney Castle were filled with the light of morning. Riku was traveling along the northern colonnade to join Sora and the others in the audience chamber for breakfast, even though he was not very hungry. He was feeling calmer now, as if the events from days ago never happened. He did sleep rather well last night; perhaps the King was right about him needing rest from his previous endeavors.

But it still did not explain his mishap outside the library. He waved the subject from his mind; he cannot let these thoughts get the better of him, especially a few hours before his training. He cannot afford to be distracted now. Minutes later he reached his destination, he knocked on the giant door three times then waited. A moment later the smaller door opened and Riku went inside. He entered a wide room with a long red carpet extending from the lavender door to the King's throne, a red banner with the King's seal on it hanging above the elegant chair.

Before he can take in the grand chamber any further, a familiar voice rang in his ears. "Morning Riku," The voice belonged to Kairi, who waved at him from her seat next to Sora at a long wooden table in the center of the room.

"Good morning." Riku greeted.

"How're you feeling?" Sora asked him.

"Better." he replied.

"That's good." said Kairi smiling.

"I hope breakfast starts soon, I'm starving!" Sora said placing a hand on his growling stomach.

Riku laughed as he took his place beside his friends at the table, secretly hoping that the aroma of breakfast does not overpower him. Moments later the door opened again, the Pelekai family walking single file into the chamber, the little Hawaiian girl's face brightening at the sight of the silver-haired teen.

"Riku, hi!" she greeted energetically.

Riku smiled, "Hey, good morning." he said turning in his seat to face her.

"We missed you at dinner!" said Pleakley.

Sora and Kairi exchanged looks then brought their gaze back to Riku confused. "I was worried I wouldn't find you, this place is huge!" Lilo said her eyes gazing around the chamber.

"We nearly got lost coming here." Jumba interjected rubbing his large head. "Yeah, it is easy to get lost here." said Riku chuckling. Lilo shifted her gaze toward the two keyblade masters. "Are these the friends you were looking for?" she asked looking up at Riku who nodded. "Are you from the North Pole too?" she asked the pair.

"North pole…?" Sora asked looking at Riku.

"It's a long story." he replied.

Sora and Kairi introduced themselves while Riku looked around the floor, a puzzled look on his face. "Hey, where's your… dog?" he asked. Lilo blinked then looked around the chamber, "Stitch?" Her eyes swept the giant room for the missing furry, blue experiment. "Stitch!" she called, her voice echoing around the room.

Suddenly they heard loud clattering and banging along with angry voices coming from inside the wall on the left side of the room. Everyone shifted their gaze to the wall just before a secret passage opened and a blue round object bounced into view as a line of angry chefs stormed out of the opening, shaking their fists at the blue ball. It bounced high above the chamber as it stretched open its arms and legs, landing on the table with a soft thud.

"Whoa!" Sora exclaimed surprised by the creatures appearance.

The blue animal glanced at the angry mob and quickly jumped behind Lilo. "Uh-oh…" she uttered.

"What's going on here?"

Everyone turned around to find King Mickey standing behind them.

"Your Majesty, my dog uh… kind of messed up the kitchen…" said Lilo laughing nervously.

"Well, I was told there was a commotion in the kitchens." said Mickey, "But don't worry, it's not the first time something like this happened." As the other chefs went back to the kitchens, one stayed behind. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes sire," he said hurrying back into the camouflaged door that vanished from sight when it closed.

"So," said King Mickey changing the subject, "I see you all got acquainted." Everyone nodded as they all sat in their seats at the table.

"So what are your plans for us?" Riku asked.

"I'll explain it all later," King Mickey said glancing toward the Hawaiian family across the table. Riku understood and nodded silently as he leaned back into his chair. He was feeling somewhat impatient, in any hurry to begin their training. But he could not help but feel that something was amiss, a lingering secret that hung all around him. Was there something the King was not telling them? He shook his head; that cannot be; perhaps he has been thinking about this too much. He had to focus on the task at hand, which was to help King Mickey fight against the darkness that was taking hold of the worlds. Whatever this was, it will have to wait, besides, what could King Mickey possibly be hiding?

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After breakfast, the three keyblade masters left for the training ground outside the castle where the training is to be held. "I can't wait to meet Yen Sid." said Kairi excitedly as the three teens traversed along the hallway. "With him as your teacher, you'll get stronger in no time." Sora encouraged.

"The sooner we get this over with, the better. We can't afford to lose any more worlds." said Riku.

"Are you sure you should be training Riku? You hardly ate anything at breakfast." Kairi said looking at him with concern. "I'll be fine." He said curtly trying to avoid the subject of his health.

Sora and Kairi exchange solemn glances, shifting their gaze ahead of them as they stepped outside, the sunlight hitting their faces. Three pairs of eyes fell upon a wide spacious courtyard of stone surrounded by pillars. Riku's ice-blue eyes swept over the yard, the courtyard was about as wide as a stadium, a convenient size for self-defense training.

He looked down at the concrete floor, which was surprisingly smooth, devoid of rubble or cracks. Sora wondered about, gazing at his surroundings while Kairi stood on the far side looking toward the distant trees. Suddenly there was a small blast of light-blue smoke from the center of the courtyard; all three teens brought their attention to the blast as a tall figure emerged from the swirling blue fog.

It did not take Sora and the others long to recognize the robed, looming figure of the wizard Yen Sid as the smoke began to clear. "So…you've all come." he said as the colored smoke faded into the air. Sora straightened up. "We're here start our training sir." he said. Kairi leaned forward in a slight bow, "It's an honor to have you as my teacher." she said politely receiving a nod from the powerful sorcerer. King Mickey then appeared beside his master. "Alright fellas, we're gonna take our business elsewhere." he said to Riku and Sora, who looked back at the mouse, surprised by the sudden change in plans.

"You mean we won't be training here?" Sora asked confused. "I got us another place where we can carry on our lessons while Kairi trains here with master Yen Sid." said King Mickey turning around and leaving the courtyard.

Both boys exchanged looks, Sora shrugged his shoulders and moved toward the King, Riku stayed behind for a moment, then followed suit.

"We'll catch you later Kairi." Sora said waving to her in farewell.

"Good luck." she said smiling as the two keyblade masters left her and Yen Sid.

Riku and Sora continued to follow King Mickey, leading them away from the large courtyard. They walked on for several minutes until they reached a wide open clearing with tall unkempt grass.

"Now then, how to begin…" said Mickey turning around to face the two teens.

"Um, your Majesty, what exactly do you have planned for us?" Sora asked putting his hands behind his head.

The King stood silent as Riku and Sora waited patiently for his reply. "Welp," he began, "As we already know, some of the worlds have been completely swallowed up by darkness, but instead of disappearing like before, the world becomes a part of that darkness."

"Yeah, so what can we do to stop it?" asked Riku.

"First, we have to eradicate the source of the darkness in every world." The King explained. Sora folded his arms, "Sounds easy enough." he said.

"It's not that simple." Riku retorted, "This darkness destroys everything it touches, getting near any of those worlds on a gummi ship won't even be easy."

"Exactly," said Mickey. "Which is why it's crucial that you learn this secret."

Before the two boys could inquire about the King's words, the golden keyblade materialized within the King's gloved hand. Without another word, he pointed his weapon to the sky; a sphere of light began projecting from the tip illuminating the ground in brilliant silver light.

Suddenly the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Sora began to stumble but Riku grabbed his arm to prevent his friend from falling. They looked up to find Mickey slowly rising above the ground, but he was not floating, something large was making its way above the ground beneath the King's feet. Both Riku and Sora watched in amazement as a large stone monument lifted King Mickey off the ground, stopping when it reached about six feet tall.

The ground continued to quake as another large stone emerged from underground. Riku looked around, watching as three more stones identical to the first rose from the tall grass surrounding the giant rock that held Mickey up from the ground. A few moments later, the earth had finally settled under their feet. Riku gazed at the stones, they were indeed very old. He blinked when he noticed something odd. On these ancient stones were symbols carved into them, he then looked up at King Mickey.

"What is all this?" he asked.

"These," Mickey began, "are Lumen Stones."

"Lumen stones?" Sora asked approaching one of the stones observing the strange markings.

"Yep," Mickey said, jumping off of the tall rock landing on his feet in front of the center stone. "These were made hundreds of years ago. No one knows exactly who or what created them and why, but I know these things were created for a good purpose and might be of help to us."

"How?" asked Sora.

"Well, before Ansem studied the Heartless, he was researching the mystery of the Lumen Stones; I managed to gather what little notes I could find in his study. According to his notes, these stones are somehow connected to the keyblade."

Riku peered at the stones once again; Ansem never mentioned his research of the ancient stones before, this only made him even more curious. Perhaps trying to ascertain the stones true nature drove Ansem the Wise to research the essence of the heart as well.

The keyblade's connection to the stones made sense considering that it was the King's keyblade that summoned them to the surface. "So how do they work?" Riku asked. King Mickey tilted his head down, "Well… I'm not sure." he said sheepishly.

"Then how is this supposed to help us?" Sora asked, giving the King an incredulous stare.

King Mickey then lifted his head up to face the giant stone that stood in front of him, "I may not know everything, but I do know that these stones oppose darkness. Ansem believed that they were created to protect our worlds." Sora looked up at the center stone, "But, will this be enough to destroy the darkness in all the worlds? Just this?" he asked.

"These aren't the only ones." Mickey explained, "According to the notes I found, there are four other worlds out there that have a set of stones just like this one."

"So we have to find these worlds and try to find the other stones. Easier said than done." Riku said crossing his arms. "I know, but they have to be found, or the worlds will be lost." said King Mickey. Sora looked around at the stones that surrounded them and then shifted his gaze to the King. "Then we'll look everywhere! They can't be that far." Sora said fervently, "Right Riku?" he said looking at the silver-haired teen. Riku stood silent for a few moments, "…This is the second time that we were torn away from our island…I watched a little girl's home get swallowed up by darkness… I never want to see that again."

Sora gazed at his best friend, a hint of compassion on his face. Knowing what Riku went through in that world, he understood his feelings. Sora approached him then placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You won't have to." he said.

Riku turned to the spiky-haired teen and nodded, "…We'll stop this, together this time." he said confidently.

Sora smiled, it was for this reason that he, Kairi and the children back on Destiny Island admire Riku; he was always so strong and willing to do whatever it takes to help others. "Right." said Sora nodding. Riku looked closely back at the center stone. For some strange reason, he could not take his eyes off of it.

He began to feel strange. "Riku…?" Sora said, receiving no answer from his friend. Riku continued to stare blankly at the stone. "Riku!" Sora called worriedly as he waved his hand before Riku's eyes. He looked toward the stone and back at his silver-haired friend. "Riku, answer me!" he shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.

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_Riku stood silent, his eyes on the center stone. Sora's voice became more distant until it faded into silence. Everything around him began to dissolve until there was nothing but empty blackness; all that remained were the Lumen Stones. Suddenly he was grassy field. He blinked and looked around, now conscious of his surroundings. _

_He was back in the clearing, but Sora and King Mickey were nowhere to be seen. Something was not right, he looked around once more and gasped, Disney Castle was gone. This couldn't be the King's world… He frantically looked around for anyone that could possibly explain what was happening until he saw a flash of light. _

_He stopped and looked back at the large stones and saw to his surprise four human figures standing by the Lumen stones. He watched as one of the figures jumped on top of one of the stones while the others did the same on the other stones. All four persons faced the center stone, to each of them appeared a keyblade each one unique in appearance. _

_They all pointed their blades to the sky as King Mickey had done; suddenly the strange symbols marked on each stone began to glow with a cerulean light that illuminated everything around them. "Riku…" That voice again…The Lumen stones and the four mysterious figures vanished, leaving the silver-haired key blade warrior in the darkness. "Riku!" He knew that voice, it was faint at first then it grew louder, it wasn't the voice from before… "Riku!" _

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"Riku! Answer me!" Sora shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.

Riku blinked, Sora's worried expression coming back into focus. "Huh..?" Riku grumbled, rubbing his head. "Are you okay?" asked King Mickey worriedly. "What happened..?" Riku asked groggily. "I don't know," said Sora, "you just kind of spaced out. You had us worried for a sec." Riku was silent, trying to reach back into his memories to when he blacked out, he then looked up at the stone again. "I think I know how to work these rocks," he said gazing at the symbol engraved upon the stone.

"You do?" Sora asked incredulously.

Riku turned his gaze to the afternoon sky. "But I'm not sure what will happen. I think we should wait until Kairi completes her training with Yen Sid to try it out."

Sora and King Mickey exchange puzzled looks, though they both felt unsure of Riku's suggestion, they have the up-most confidence in him. "Are you sure you know how the Lumen stones work?" asked King Mickey, receiving a fervent nod from Riku. "I saw it when I blacked out, it needs the power of four Keyblade bearers in order for it to work." he explained.

"Then what?" asked Sora. Riku thought hard as he tried to remember what happened next, but his mind drew up a blank.

"I… I can't remember." he said exasperatedly.

"It's okay," said King Mickey, "this new information will lead us closer to the true purpose of the stones thanks to you."

Riku suddenly groaned and grabbed his head.

"What's wrong?" asked Sora concerned.

"N-Nothing," said Riku, "just a little dizzy."

"You're probably just hungry," said Mickey, "It's almost lunch time anyway, let's head back to the castle."

Was it a dream, or some kind of premonition? He did not know. Perhaps he somehow managed to unlock a portion of the stone's power. He was certain that the stones require the power of the keyblades in order for it to function, but what will happen should his hypothesis prove correct? He decided to first focus on his training, hoping that he will unlock his own inner strength. From that day on, Riku spent most of his time sparring with Sora and King Mickey while Kairi trained with Yen Sid, but as the days went by, his condition became worse, making his training sessions less frequent.

Coupled with his decreasing appetite, he found himself becoming sick in the morning and most of the afternoons, so much so that he ended up spending more and more time in the bathroom than anywhere else each day. Though he did his best to hide his illness, this habit did not go unnoticed by King Mickey, who, for some strange reason, would not even look at him in the face. Kairi was also puzzled by Riku's change in behavior; she could not help but sense that there was something odd about him since he left the island.

Her suspicions arose one day when she watched him and Sora training together as usual. With a mighty swing of his keyblade, Sora managed to knock the silver-haired teen onto the ground.

Riku rolls onto his bottom. "Giving up already?" said Sora smirking as he placed his keyblade over his shoulder.

Riku slowly rose to his feet, chuckling at the irony of having to listen to his own words being used against him; "Getting better every day Sora," he said smiling.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today," said Mickey who stood by to supervise the training.

"You guys did great!" Kairi shouted enthusiastically.

"Sorry for knocking you down like that," Sora apologized. Kairi then watched as Riku suddenly paled. Without another word, he turned and began to leave the clearing.

"Riku…? Wait-Where are you going?" Sora called after him.

"To bed," Riku said tersely, walking quickly to the direction of the castle entrance.

"To bed…? It's not nighttime," Sora said matter-of-factly.

Riku suddenly turned around sharply. "I'M TIRED, ALRIGHT?" he shouted angrily before turning back around and continuing toward his destination, leaving Sora dumbfounded by his sharp reply. No one spoke as they all watched Riku run in the distance. "What was that about?" Sora asked, taken aback. Kairi said nothing, silently looking on as Riku disappeared behind the castle wall only to return a while later to apologize for his rude outburst.

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Riku groaned as he raised his head up from the toilet for the fourth time, his face drenched in sweat. Panting, he rested his forehead on the seat of the toilet, he did not know how much more of this he could take, it has been minutes yet it felt to him like he was kneeling for hours.

What could possibly be wrong with him? He tried almost every stomach remedy he could think of, but he has yet to see any results. He took several deep breaths before submerging his face into the toilet, retching once more into the white porcelain bowl. A few minutes later, he hastily brought his head up as he tried to catch his breath. He will have to speak with King Mickey; perhaps he will help him in finding a physician to come to terms with the cause of his condition. What he could not understand was how he could have contracted the virus.

He paused then sighed placidly as he felt the nausea abating. Relieved that his regurgitation had finally ended, he pulled down the lever, flushing his stomach contents down the drain. He grabbed hold of the sink and levered himself back onto his feet as he tried to maintain his balance.

He closed his eyes and exhaled; the sooner he saw someone about his stomach virus, the sooner he can get back to his training. He lifted his eyes toward the mirror, staring at his reflection and noticing how unbelievably pale he was. He then turned the knob on the sink, cupping his hands beneath a torrent of cold water and splashing the cool liquid onto his face. He stared down at the sink, watching the water swirl down the drain. He could not help but feel as if he himself was spiraling downward. Whatever this virus was, it was beginning to take its toll on him.

He grabbed a towel and dried his dripping face. After doing so, he turned his head toward the mirror and paused. He gazed at his reflection again when he saw something strange, a change that had never seen before. He looked as if he had gained some weight somehow, though he hardly ate for the past week. He turned to his side, looking closely at himself; he slowly unzipped his black vest revealing his bare chest and stomach.

His eyes narrowed; there in the reflection of the mirror he noticed a slight bulge protruding from his lower abdomen. He shifted his gaze downward as he ran his hand over the small bump. He frowned. The hard muscles on his well-toned stomach were now strangely tender beneath his fingers. These were not symptoms of a common stomach virus, but then again he had never been seriously ill before. Aside from the occasional cold or flu, he was usually very healthy.

He then thought of the stranger he fought, could his attack still be affecting him? No, that could not be possible. The darkness that was put into his body would have surely turned him into a Heartless, or worse. However, tried as he might, nothing he did eased the illness, including the King's suggestion in getting more rest.

He suddenly remembered King Mickey's reaction when he mentioned his peculiar dizzy spells. Now that he thought about it…the King had been acting a bit strange around him lately, aside from the training sessions, King Mickey had been avoiding him for some time now…Did he know something about his condition? He hastily zipped up his black under vest and immediately left the bathroom.

He briskly made his way down the candle-lit colonnade toward the wooden doors of the library; he stopped when he saw the lavender door to the audience chamber open, recognizing the green hat and large front teeth.

"Goofy!" Riku exclaimed as he rushed up to the royal guard.

"Oh! Hey there Riku!" he called waving his hand in greeting.

"Where's King Mickey? I have to talk to him," Riku said hurriedly.

"Huh… Well, I haven't seen him yet," Goofy replied.

"Well, if you do see him, tell him that I really need to talk to him," Riku said as he jogged toward the library. "Uh… Okay then…" Goofy replied not knowing what else to say.

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Riku silently paced back and forth beside the blazing fire place within the library, casting an orange glow all around the room. If King Mickey did in fact know the exact cause of his affliction, why didn't he say something? It didn't make any sense, why would he hide something like this from him, especially when it concerned his health?

He started to feel angry, he always regarded King Mickey as a person he can always count on, someone he could trust with his very life. He began messaging his temples, his anger subsiding. He cannot afford to jump to conclusions, after all, he still trusted King Mickey. Perhaps it was all just a misunderstanding. Even so, he still needed to speak with the King; he had to get some answers. He heard the door creak open, he turned to the door, his eyes falling upon the small figure of King Mickey.

"Riku…" he began but fell silent as he gazed upon the keyblade warrior's solemn expression.

"I have to talk to you," said Riku facing the fire place, the bright, orange flames reflecting in his eyes.

Mickey swallowed. "About what?" he asked innocently. Riku silently turned to face him. "…I haven't been feeling myself lately. I was wondering if you would happen to know what kind of sickness I have," he said as nicely as he could.

Mickey sighed heavily, hanging his head. "… I guess I have no choice…" he said regretfully.

"What do you mean?" Riku asked, perplexed.

There was a long pause as the cackling of the fire filled in the silence. Mickey inhaled deeply before finally speaking. "Listen Riku…" He began slowly, "Sometimes in life…things happen that you wouldn't think would ever happen...and… it might be hard to accept and believe. But no matter what happens…you have to be strong and face whatever comes along with it."

Riku blinked. "I appreciate the advice Mickey, but I still don't get what any of that has to do with me."

Mickey reluctantly brought his dark eyes up to the young teen's face.

"I know you've been sick every morning, plus the dizzy spells, the loss of appetite and irritability…" he said as Riku nodded at each symptom he mentioned." Well…when women have these symptoms, it usually means they're…"

"They're what?" Riku asked impatiently.

Mickey swallowed hard. "It means…that they're going to have a baby," he said finally.

Riku frowned as he contemplated this for a moment. "Okay…but what does it mean…for me?" he asked. When the King remained silent, he couldn't help but scoff when he realized exactly what he was implying.

"No offense, but I know well enough about where babies come from. So what's wrong with me really?" he asked.

Mickey remained silent as he continued to solemnly stare back at the silver-haired teen's face. A heavy silence filled the library, neither one spoke as the tension from the previous conversation began to set in.

Riku's heart fell as he gazed at the King's grave expression. No…it was not possible, he couldn't be.

"You can't be serious," he said taking a step back, "Are you seriously saying that I'm-?"

"I wish I wasn't," said Mickey solemnly, "but there's really no other way for me to say it Riku." He could not believe what he was hearing, it just was not possible, how could he? He was a male, therefore could not possibly be able to carry a child.

"No…" Riku said stubbornly, "That's impossible. I'm a guy and in case you forgot, guys do not have babies," he concluded irritably, trying to speak some sense into this discussion.

Mickey shook his head regretfully, "I thought you might say that." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, white object.

"Take this," he said holding it up to the teenager.

Riku gazed at the object for a moment; it did not take him long to figure out what it was.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he said incredulously, looking at Mickey and then at the object in his gloved hand. "It's the only way to prove me wrong," Mickey explained.

Riku peered once more at the white item; there was no possible way that what Mickey was saying was true and the proof lied within that small plastic device in front of him. Riku sighed as he reached down and grabbed the item from the King's open hand.

"Blue means _yes_, and red means _no_," was all Mickey said before the keyblade bearer went out the door.

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Riku lied on his back in bed, staring up at the bare ceiling. The white device was lying beside him on the bedside drawer, untouched. He must have been out of his mind to have agreed to this, there was no way he was _with child_. He turned his head toward the bedside drawer, his eyes glued to the white device King Mickey had given him.

_Blue means "yes"…red means "no". _

He reluctantly reached out for the object, his fingers a few inches away from it; he suddenly paused, his hand balling up into a fist. He sighed exasperatedly as he slammed his fist onto the wooden drawer. Why was he hesitating? He knew in his mind that what Mickey told him was not true; it could not be true, so why does he refuse to pick it up? Why should he use it at all? As far as he was concerned, it was just a waste of time; he already knew what the results will be. A part of him wanted to use the infernal contraption, prove Mickey wrong and get this madness over with so that he can get back to his training, but there was a small part of him that almost dreaded the outcome.

He shook his head, what was he afraid of? It was true that his symptoms were pretty unusual, but just because his symptoms were similar to that of an expecting mother could not possibly mean the same for him, right? He looked up at the large window in front of him, watching the stars glittering within the dark night sky.

His mind was telling him not to use it, that it was just a waste a time, but his heart desperately wanted to know the truth, which frightened him more than anything. He buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe I'm actually going to do this…" he muttered before he quickly grabbed the white item and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

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In the library, Mickey slumped into a chair, rubbing his temples. He knew that Riku would not take the news well or seriously for that matter. He prayed with all his heart that he will take the test, not only for the unborn child's sake but for the boy's own sake.

There was a light knock on the door. "Yes?" Mickey called paying no mind to the interruption.

"It's Kairi, Your Majesty," came the reply. Kairi…? What was she doing here at this time of night? "Oh, uh… come in," he said, watching the door open as Kairi walked through.

"Sorry to barge in like this," she said politely as she closed the door behind her. "Aw, it's no problem Kairi," said King Mickey as he smiled warmly, the previous conversation with Riku seemingly forgotten. "So, do you need something?" he asked.

"I'm looking for a spell book. Yen Sid said I should practice a few simple spells during my spare time," she said gazing at the large rows of books in front of her.

"Well, there is one book I can lend you," said King Mickey rising from his seat and moving to the far right of the room. He fingered through the rows until he finally grabbed a brown leather book off of the shelf.

"This one should have a few good spells for you to try," he said blowing the dust off the leather cover and holding out to her. "Thank you," said Kairi, "I'll take good care of this, I promise."

"I know you will. That's why I'm giving it to you," King Mickey said smiling.

Kairi looked up in surprise. "I can keep it? Really?" she asked as Mickey nodded in reply.

"Thank you so much Your Majesty!" she said holding it against her chest. Mickey smiled once more. "This book will help you in a lot of ways, it's old but reliable. Just take it one step at a time, okay?"

"I will," Kairi said nodding.

"Sora's still training?" King Mickey asked.

"No, he decided to turn in for the night since Riku went to bed early," she replied.

"Oh…" was all the King could say, he didn't need to ask why.

Kairi stood silent for a moment, "Your Majesty…Have you noticed that Riku has been acting strange lately?"

Mickey froze, he was afraid of this. "How do you mean?" he asked trying to appear oblivious.

"Well, he's always late for training, and he hardly eats anything. Plus he seems so irritable all the time. I'm really worried about him," said Kairi frowning.

Mickey said nothing, he knew this would happen, but he didn't expect it so soon.

"Well Kairi, a lot has happened over the past few weeks. I'm sure Riku is just trying to shake off what happened to him in Hawaii, he just needs his space." he said trying to steer her away from the horrible truth that only he knew and what Riku will know soon.

Kairi was silent, deep in thought. Then she straightened up. "Maybe you're right." she said, "I'm sure he'll come around." Mickey sighed in relief. "Well, I better go to bed." said Kairi walking toward the door. "Thanks for the spell book."

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"Two minutes left," said Riku, leaning against the bathroom wall as he gazed out the door at the alarm clock atop the wooden bedside drawer that read 10:58 p.m. He has already followed the instructions and is now awaiting the test results, the reaction time was ten minutes, so far eight has gone by, since then he has never taken his eyes off the clock.

He then brought his gaze back to the plastic object, if only he had the ability to push time forward, he just wanted to get this done and over with. He sighed, this was crazy.

First he was told that he was possibly going to have a baby and now he was taking a test to prove that he wasn't. He was just glad that Sora wasn't around to see this; he could see him now: gazing at the test his with blue eyes wide with surprise. _"What are you doing with this?"_ he would ask confused.

What could he possibly tell him? _"Oh, King Mickey said that I might be pregnant so I'm just taking it to make sure." _

He laughed in spite of himself, apparently he had been thinking too much.

He turned to the bedside clock. 11:00 p.m. He felt his insides squirm unpleasantly. He inhaled deeply; now for the moment of truth. He picked up the plastic stick off the toilet lid and held it up to his eyes, gazing at it carefully.

Nothing happened. Riku chuckled, maybe it was broken.

A part of him was relieved as if to say "See? I told you there was nothing to worry about."

He still could not believe that he was actually worried about the results. What was there to be worried about? He was about to toss it into a small garbage pail when suddenly one end of the plastic item began to glow. Riku looked at the colored light. His eyes widened as he felt his heart skip a beat. There before his eyes on the white stick, appeared a color that he never thought he would not want to see. Blue. In other words: Positive.

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**END OF CHAPTER**

**So how was it? Please review and tell me your opinions, your reviews give me strength! Must start on chapter 6! Until next time fellow readers, later!**


	6. Despair

_**S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 **_

_**"my choice to befriend darkness here in the midst of nothingness was a sound one. The moment I stared straight ahead with a calm heart, neither rejecting darkness nor fearing it, I gained a newfound power." **_

**Ansem the Wise**

It was close to nightfall, the stars overhead occupying the once bright, blue sky. A shadowy figure of a man moves swiftly across an endless field of green grass, heading toward a lone house that stood next to a tall windmill, the blades moving slowly as the gentle wind eased across the field. The male figure stopped as he surveyed the familiar stone house through his silver-rimmed glasses. Black smoke rose from iron pipes that protruded from the roof and walls in every direction, making hissing noises as puffs of smoke are released into the air.

The man adjusted his glasses and proceeded his way toward the decrepit domicile listening to the mechanical noises from within the building, he looked through the candle-lit window for a moment before knocking on the door. The noises ceased immediately. 

_"Who is it?!" _came a rasping voice that was followed by a fit of hacking. The man rapped on the door once more and waited, listening to the locks click and rattle as the voice mumbled angrily about how late it was to have visitors from behind the door. The door opened at last revealing a gaunt old man, he was slightly bald with a grey beard that hung down to his chest wearing a black apron and thick goggles over his eyes.

"What do you want?!" he yelled but gasped as he looked up into the mysterious man's sharp hazel eyes, then suddenly slammed the door shut. The dark-haired man sighed exasperatedly and reached into his coat, taking out a uniquely designed, chrome, silver pistol. He stood back as he pointed the fire-arm at the closed door, firing several shots cleanly around the doorknob then gave the door a hard kick, sending it crashing down to the floor with a loud thud.

Stepping over the threshold, the man eyes swept over the many pipes, tools, and askew furniture that littered the house until they landed upon the old man, who stood in the far end of the now darkened room, his goggles lopsided over his wrinkled face and holding a welding torch in front of him with shaky hands, threatening to fire at a moment's notice. "P-Please! D-Don't kill me!!" he exclaimed, his voice quivering.

The leather-clad man gazed down silently upon the elderly man. "I assume that you've seen me before." he said nonchalantly sheathing his weapon beneath his black coat. "Or rather…" His words trailed off as his hazel eyes narrowed dangerously, "Someone who _looks_ like me."

The old man blinked in confusion as he lowered the torch slightly. "What madness is this? " He asked cautiously. Without another word, the dark stranger stepped forward causing the old man to recoil as he raised the torch defensively. "S-Stay back!" he yelled. The man came to an abrupt halt, he stood there for several moments as he peered down at the elder man.

"Where is he?" he asked tersely.

"I-I-I don't know whom you are referring to." replied the old man timidly.

Suddenly the stranger quickly pulled out his weapon and pointed it at the frail old man, who cried out in fright as he dropped the welding torch and fell to the wooden floor, burying his face in his arms. "Where is he?" the stranger snarled as he glared down at the cringing man on the floor.

"P-P-Please!" the old man pleaded, "I know not of the one you seek!" With a loud click, the dark-haired stranger reloaded his weapon and pointed it at the old man once more.

"I think you know exactly who I'm talking about…_Zaier_."

The cowering old man froze, neither person moved as a heavy silence filled the dark room, but the moment of silence soon ended, the old man that was begging for his life not a moment ago suddenly began snickering, then his snickers quickly turned into laughter. His weapon remaining on his target, the stranger watched in silence as the old man began to shake from laughing, he then raised his head and smirked maliciously up at the dark-haired man as his wrinkled face suddenly began to melt. Without taking his hazel eyes off of the distorted form of the old man, the stranger took a step back, his weapon held at the ready for any hostile movements.

The old man melted down into a black puddle as it morphed into a black misshapen blob that rose up to the dark-haired stranger's height then finally assumed the form of a young man with deathly white skin and pale voilet eyes that were partially hidden behind wavy, yellow-orange hair.

"Hello Ahzuron." he sneered as the warm room faded, the old furniture and scattered tools melted away until nothing remained but dust and cobwebs that now littered the walls and floors of the old house. "Long time no see." he said tipping his dark-purple top hat in greeting.

The stranger known as Ahzuron remained silent as he kept his weapon on the pale young man. "Very interesting disguise my old friend. Although, I am a bit surprised that you recognized me at all with my illusion, very few have been able to see through my ruse. Not that I expect any less from you." said Zaier. Ahzuron gave a scornful grunt as he carefully placed his finger on the trigger.

"Don't flatter yourself." he snapped, "No matter what powers you may have gained, it doesn't make you any less of a traitor."

"Me? A traitor?" the man named Zaier asked in mock indignation. Ahzuron took aim between Zaier's violet eyes, "Enough of your games, tell me where my brother is!" he asked waspishly. The dark-haired man's question was followed by more laughter from the well dressed young man.

"Did you really come all this way just to ask me that?" he asked derisively. "You never cease to amaze me."

"Enough! Tell me where he is or so help me, this weapon will be the last thing you ever see!" Ahzuron threatened as he tightened his grip on the silver pistol. Zaier merely chuckled at the armed man's threat, "Is he really that important to you?" he asked. Ahzuron said nothing as he continued to glare at the shape-shifter through his silver-rimmed glasses.

"Well… I could tell you…" Zaier began, "But first, enlighten me. What is it you plan to do when you find your darling brother?" he asked.

Ahzuron froze, his feet glued to the dusty floor. Zaier smirked as he watched him become paralyzed. "It's quite sad really…" he sighed, "Especially since he's your only family."

"Shut up!" Ahzuron snarled, clenching his fist as his hands began to shake with anger.

With an amused grunt, Zaier again became malformed, then shifted into the form of a young woman with long, auburn hair, her gentle eyes a light brown. She wore a long sleeved dress with plastic buttons down the front, flowing over a pair of brown shoes. Ahzuron lowered his weapon as he took a step back, gazing at the woman, his eyes wide with shock. His heart pounding in his chest, he continued to stare incredulously at the beautiful lady, his lips began to move but no sound came forth.

Suddenly the mysterious woman's face fell as her light-brown eyes began to swell up with tears, "_Ahzuron! How could you?!"_ cried the woman, her voice in unison with the male voice of Zaier. The dark-haired man said nothing, stunned by the sudden spectacle. He then pointed his gun at the woman, who looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with tears that poured down her slender face. 

_"Ahzuron! I'm sorry… I wasn't strong enough..!" _she sobbed. He stood there silently for but a moment, then screamed angrily at the top of his lungs, closing his eyes tightly as he finally pulled the trigger, the loud bang of the gun shot ringing in his ears, the woman's crying had stopped.

He held his breath, waiting silently, hearing only the rapid sounds of his heart beating in his chest in the darkness. He slowly opens his hazel eyes, afraid of what he might see. When his eyes adjusted to the blackness that surrounded him, he looked up to find the young woman gone from sight. _He_ was gone, leaving the gunman alone in the dark house filled with distant, forgotten memories. All that remained was his heavy breathing, and the sound of Zaier's maniacal laughter echoing inside his mind.

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Riku felt as if a cinder block had dropped into the pit of his stomach. He gazed at the bright, blue light emanating from the white stick he held, his eyes wide in bewilderment. He couldn't believe it, he refused to believe it, but the truth was there, right in front of him. He was pregnant. He loses his grip on the glowing object, letting it fall to the tiled floor with a clatter. He took a few steps backward until his back made contact with the hard bathroom wall, he then slid down to the floor, resting on his bottom.

He remained silent, fearing that the very walls might be listening, he looked up and stared at the wall opposite him, how could this have happened? This was impossible, the test must have had a false reading, then again, those things are known to be amazingly accurate, and the possibility of a positive reading from a male was highly unlikely. He sighed as he rested his head against the wall, bringing his ice-blue eyes up to the white ceiling above him, he brainstormed for a rational explanation for his illness, and for the test result, but nothing came.

Frustrated, he sat up straighter on the floor as he closed his eyes to calm himself, beneath the blackness of his eyelids, he saw the face of his enemy. The dark-haired stranger, who haunted him since their first encounter, sneered at him from the darkness, mocking him… His eyes suddenly snapped open, his mind began to race as the realization began to sink in. Now he was certain of what that man did to him, it was clear to him now.

His mind replayed the battle, the moment when that man stabbed him, and the parasitic darkness that poured into his body. The stranger didn't need to finish him off, he merely left this… _thing_, inside of him to destroy him internally. Riku got to his feet and leaned against the sink, a knot of disgust in his stomach.

The thought of his body harboring a darkness incarnate life-form made his skin crawl, he felt sick. Violated. Inhuman. He couldn't breathe, he needed air. Avoiding his reflection, he thought it better to go outside and possibly get his thoughts in order. He left the bathroom, put on his shoes and left the bedroom. He hastily made his way down the hallway, hoping that he wouldn't run into anyone, as he disappeared behind a corner, Kairi suddenly appeared behind a corner on the opposite end of the hallway, unaware that Riku was there not a moment ago. She walked slowly, her eyes on the red carpet beneath her feet.

Since she left the library, she spent the remainder of her time traversing the halls, thinking about what King Mickey had said. It was true that Riku barely escaped with his life when the three of them were separated again, and maybe he was having a hard time getting over what he experienced, but it still did not explain his strange behavior. She knew Riku well enough to know that it would take much more than a brush with death to traumatize the keyblade bearer, he was much stronger than that. So what could really be going on with him?

He tries to hide it, but she knew that there was something wrong, perhaps if she had a talk with him. She looked up and stopped abruptly when she noticed that the door to her right was wide open, a bright, orange light spilling out from the open door onto the red carpet, it was Riku's room. It was indeed strange, it's not like him to leave the door open in the middle of the night. Kairi hesitated, she isn't one to just go into other people's rooms without being invited in, she knew all too well about the privacy of another teenager's room. But she wanted to at least check in on him.

She poked her head through the door frame and looked around inside the room to find the bedside lamp on and the bed a rumpled mess, but no sign of the silver-haired teen.

"Riku?" she called softly, receiving no answer.

She listened closely for any signs of movement, but all was silent. Hesitantly, she went further into the bedroom as she looked around for her long-time friend. She then paused and turned her head toward the bathroom, which was brightly lit from the ceiling lights that shone through the open door. She entered the spacious washroom, calling his name once more and receiving the same silence.

She was about to leave when she saw something out of the corner of her eye, she gazes around the room until her blue eyes fell upon a stick-like object on the floor. "Huh?" She uttered, bending over and picking the object up from the tiled floor. "What's this?" she asked herself as she held the plastic item up to her eyes.

Her eyes widened, recognizing the object right away. What was _this_ doing here? She looks closely at the object, then notices a dim, cerulean light coming from the tip of the plastic stick, she turned it over in her fingers and saw a small inscription on the back of the device. 

_Blue: positive. Red: Negative._

Kairi gazed at the object once more. Something was amiss, why would Riku have a pregnancy test? Could he have used it?

Kairi shook her head frantically.

"_Don't be ridiculous!" _she thought to herself. _"He couldn't have used it. There's no reason in the world for him to use it. Guys can't get pregnant. Unless…" _

She gasped, her eyes widened as she clapped her hand over her mouth. Of course… it all made sense now. Riku's loss of appetite, the dizzy spells, the nausea… But how was this possible? Her mind scrambled for an explanation until the battle that took place between Riku and the stranger came to mind.

She thought hard, Riku began to exhibit these symptoms the day she and Sora met up with him upon arrival at Disney Castle. It was hard to say _when _he was impregnated, but she could only surmise that it was sometime before he arrived at Disney Castle. Could the darkness put into Riku's body cause some kind of strange reaction? She looked back at the fading, blue light on the tip of the device.

"Riku…" sighed Kairi, she can only imagine what he must be going through now. Apparently he didn't take the results well, which would explain why he left in such a hurry. She hastily left the bedroom, walking briskly down the hall, stuffing the used pregnancy test into her pocket. Her first thought was to go to the library and see if there was something in those books that could help figure out how this can be resolved in some way, but decided instead to go find Riku, praying with all her heart that she gets to him before someone else does.

Outside, within the darkness of night, Riku sat alone upon a boulder in a grassy clearing far from the castle, trying to rid himself of this sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He sighed as he lifted his head toward the night sky, gazing at the distant stars that sparkled overhead. His heart ached with homesickness, he longed to return home, to his island. He deeply missed the sound of the waves lapping gently against the sand, the palm trees swaying in the breeze, to feel the cool wind on his face and breathe in the salty sea air, all of which had been taken away from him yet again. His hands balled up into fists as anger began to well up inside of him, he couldn't let this go unpunished.

Sora, Kairi and himself remained here in safety while the darkness continues to spread onto other unsuspecting worlds, severing innocent people from their homes, their family and friends, turning every world into a desolate wasteland, it made him sick. He sighed heavily as he buried his face in his hands, trying to ease away the oncoming head-ache. He couldn't bear to stay here any longer, he was here in safety while evil roams free, he can't let this go on. As for the organism growing inside him, he will have to dispatch of it somehow.

He trusts that King Mickey won't speak of their previous discussion to anyone, he couldn't live with himself if anyone else got word of this, especially Sora and Kairi. He can't tell them, he won't tell them, he didn't know if he could live with the embarrassment, the very thought of it made him shudder.

A part of him insisted that he tell them, they were his closest friends and had a right to know what was going on, while another part of him completely rejected the idea, saying that it was best to keep it to himself, they don't have to find out, he was going to remove the fetus anyway, so there is nothing to tell.

He again brought his gaze toward the sky, thinking again of that dark haired stranger as his anger began to rise. He then made a promise to himself, to find the scumbag responsible for this pregnancy, for tearing him away from his home and make him pay, even if it costs him his life. Nothing else mattered anymore. He stands up and turns to leave, when he bumped into a familiar figure with dark red hair.

"Kairi!" Riku gasped as he jolted at her sudden appearance.

"Oh, hey. Sorry about that." said Kairi sheepishly. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." said Riku cutting across her apology, "You just surprised me that's all, it's no big deal."

"Right." Kairi chuckled. "What are you doing up so late?" asked Riku. "I thought I might find you out here." Kairi replied.

"You were looking for me?" Riku asked surprised.

Kairi hesitated for a moment, "I came to see if you were okay." she said truthfully.

"I'm fine. Never better." Riku said nonchalantly as he took his seat on a nearby rock. "Oh…Okay." said Kairi fidgeting slightly.

"Is that all?" asked Riku, leaning back on his hands. "Well… no." said Kairi sitting down upon a boulder across from the silver-haired keyblade bearer. "I wanted to talk to you."

Riku froze, he could only guess what it was she wanted to talk about. "About what?" he asked. "About… What happened to you- on the other island with that man." Kairi replied hesitantly. Riku shifted uncomfortably as he turned his head away from blue-eyed red head.

"There's nothing to talk about." he said bluntly, "I got there, I fought a man with free control of the darkness, he stabbed me and left before I passed out. I woke up and I was fine, that's all there is." he concluded as if that was all he was going to say on the subject.

After hearing the brief retelling of Riku's tale, Kairi remained silent. She knew he wasn't telling her the whole story, not that she expected him to, she knew from the start that this wasn't going to be easy. "There's more to the story… isn't there?" she asked in a low voice. Riku looked up, his surprise hidden behind a solemn expression.

"Why did you come here Kairi?" he asked suspiciously. Kairi bit her lip, "…I came because…" "Because what?" Riku asked.

Kairi said nothing as she reached into her pocket, this was probably one of the hardest things she's ever done in her life. "I wanted to ask you… about this." she replied finally as she held out something to him. Riku's heart plummeted as soon as he saw the item in Kairi's hand, the magically enhanced pregnancy test. He remained silent, his mind now boggling at the familiar plastic device in Kairi's open hand.

"I found this in your room." Kairi explained.

Riku stood in stunned silence, realizing that he never thought to dispose of the device before he left the bedroom, how could he have been so careless? He wanted to say something, that this was all just a big misunderstanding and that the plastic device must belong to someone else, but he didn't know what to say, there was nothing to say, he was caught. He slowly sat back down on the boulder, his eyes glued to the ground. Neither one spoke for several moments as the wind began to graze against the green grass, filling in the heavy silence between the two teens.

After the wind died down, Kairi was the one who spoke, "Does the King know?" she asked.

Unable to speak, Riku replied with a single nod. Kairi walked over and sat beside the silver-haired keyblade warrior on the boulder. "So it's true." she said gazing at Riku in awe. "I wish it wasn't." he said sullenly. Kairi said nothing. She couldn't blame him for being this way, his "special condition" was uncalled for, and unnatural. "Do you know how this happened?" she asked. "It must have been the darkness that was put into my body." Riku replied.

"Are you sure?" asked Kairi. "Yeah, why?" asked Riku confused.

"If the darkness that you came into contact with is as powerful as you say, then it should have killed you or turned you into a Heartless. I don't think it would do something like this, or at least it shouldn't." said Kairi.

Riku said nothing as he considered Kairi's words for moment. "So what you're saying is that maybe the darkness didn't cause this pregnancy?" he inquired. "It's a possibility." said Kairi. Riku thought hard, he was certain that this living thing inside of him was the progeny of the power of darkness that was forced into him before he came here. He can't recall anything after he lost consciousness that day, except that he was completely healed even after receiving fatal wounds during the battle.

"There's no way of knowing for sure." he said. A brief moment of silence followed, suddenly Kairi's face brightened slightly.

"Actually, there is." she said to Riku's surprise.

"How?" he asked.

Kairi stood up from her seat next to Riku and turned to face him. "I need you to stand up." she said making an upward gesture with her hands. "What for?" Riku asked as he slowly rose to his feet. "I'm going to perform a spell that'll scan your body for any traces of dark energy." Kairi replied.

"Scan?" Riku asked perplexed.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit. Just trust me." Kairi assured him as her golden, flowery keyblade materialized within her hand. Riku swallowed nervously, not because he did not trust Kairi, but because of what the scan will show. He has never had a spell performed on him before, he could only guess what will happen, though he didn't know if he could take any more surprises.

"Ready?" Kairi asked as she grasped her keyblade with both hands.

Riku was still for a moment, he then takes a breath before finally nodding his head. With a single nod, Kairi raised her weapon, pointing it at the silver-haired warrior. Riku watched as she closed her gentle, blue eyes. At first nothing happened, suddenly Kairi's keyblade began to glow with a white light, then to Riku's surprise, a silver ring of light appeared above the teen's head. He looks back at Kairi, who remained still, her eyes closed in deep concentration. He watched in amazement as two more silver rings appeared around his waist and ankles, suddenly the light rings began to glow brightly, he hastily shut his eyes to guard against the blinding light.

He waited for what seemed liked a few minutes, then slowly opened his eyes to find the silver lights that surrounded him dispersing until nothing remained of their luminous glow. He looked up at Kairi, who sighed heavily as she lowered her floral keyblade. "You alright?" asked Riku as he moved toward her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she replied straightening up, "It's just that until now, I've never performed that spell on a person before."

"You could've fooled me, it seemed like you knew what you were doing." said Riku surprised, "So, did anything show up on the scan spell?"

Kairi said nothing as she sank down to sit on a nearby boulder. "Well… According to the spell, there doesn't seem to be any trace of darkness anywhere inside your body." Riku was still, feeling relieved but confused. "Are you sure?" he asked making absolutely sure that there was no mistake. "I'm positive. The only thing the spell detected was the fetus." Kairi replied solemnly.

Riku paced around the grass for a moment before coming to a stop, "This doesn't make any sense." said Riku as he sat upon a boulder opposite Kairi, "If the darkness didn't put this thing inside me, what did?" he asked aloud. 

_"It was all our doing." _

Both Riku and Kairi looked around frantically for the owner of the voice. They looked up and, to their astonishment, saw three brightly colored lights appear, each one a different color, red, blue and green. They watched as the colored orbs floated onto the grassy clearing, then, in a puff of red, green and blue sparks, the three good fairies materialized before the keyblade bearers eyes.

Riku instinctively summoned his keyblade and assumed his fighting stance.

"Riku wait!" Kairi exclaimed as she thrusts out her arm in front of Riku, "They're not our enemies. They work for Yen Sid." she assured him.

Riku slowly lowered his weapon, he couldn't recall ever having seen these three ladies before, and yet he felt like he knew them somehow. "…What do you mean your doing?" Riku asked haltingly.

The three fairies exchange fearful looks, "You see…" Flora began, "Some time ago, Yen Sid got word of the spread of darkness that was taking hold of the worlds. At first it did not seem too severe, but then, we received word of three worlds that had been swallowed up by this force of evil, in a short amount of time. We were ordered to find you two and Sora and take you to King Mickey's Castle immediately, but by the time we found your world, it had already fallen to darkness."

"We were dreadfully worried." said Fauna, "We never would have found you if it weren't for Yen Sid's crystal ball. We were thinking of splitting up to quicken our search for you three, but Yen Sid told us that Sora and Kairi were both safe, but you were in mortal peril. He was the one who told us where to find you, so we came to Hawaii."

"We found you, collapsed on the ground in the woods." explained Merryweather. "You were under a terrible curse, one that could've ended your very life. We wanted to remove it but…" Merriweather's words trailed off as she averted Riku's bewildered gaze.

"The curse was far too powerful." said Flora cutting into Merryweather's unfinished sentence, "We could only think of one way to save you… the gift of life."

Riku loses his grip on the keyblade, letting it fall down to the soft grass with a dull thud. He didn't need to hear what happened next, it was already clear what had happened. "It was you all along…" he said bitterly.

Kairi gazed at Riku sullenly, it was one thing to hear that the dark side was the one that wronged him, but to be told that it was someone who not only sided for good, but who is also an associate of someone of great respect was just horrifying. "We had no choice!" cried Fauna, "We couldn't just stand by and let the darkness consume you, it was the only way!"

Riku remained silent, a tight knot forming in his stomach, he didn't know whether to be furious or grateful. Compared to this, a silent passage into death sounded more promising. "You have to undo this!" he demanded.

"We can't." Merryweather replied regretfully.

"But why?" asked Kairi incredulously, "Since you were the ones who put this spell on him, shouldn't you be able to remove it?"

"It's not that simple." Flora explained, "This was no mere spell, it was a _gift_ and once we give a gift we can't take it back."

Riku couldn't believe what he was hearing, he wanted to scream, anything was better than this. Why couldn't they have just left him to his untimely death? He desperately wishing that this was all just a bad dream and any minute now he will wake up in his own bed in his old room on his island, but his island was gone, along with his room and familiar bed.

"We're sorry Riku…" Flora said, her eyes swimming with tears, "So very sorry. We wish we could take it all back." Fauna said before sobbing into her handkerchief.

Before anything more was said, the three good fairies disappeared in a cloud of red, blue and green sparks. A heavy silence followed, the sound of rustling grass filling the air, no one spoke a word. Kairi looked down at Riku, who remained on the ground unmoving. She couldn't bear to see him suffer this way, she wanted to tell him that it was going to be alright, but she knew that she would probably be lying and he was far beyond any hope of cheering up at the moment.

Riku slowly rose to his feet, feeling as if he had just woken from a dream. "Riku…" he heard Kairi say.

"Kairi… I want you to promise me something." Kairi looked up at him a bit surprised.

"Promise me that you won't tell Sora about this." said Riku his back facing the red headed teen.

Kairi said nothing, she didn't have the heart to keep things from Sora, but she could bear to refuse Riku's promise either.

"Alright." she said nodding.

"…I have to terminate the pregnancy." Riku said finally.

Kairi's eyes widened, "You don't want the baby?" she asked.

Riku said nothing for a moment. "I can't keep it Kairi." he said nonchalantly.

"There are other options. You don't have to abort it!" said Kairi, trying to dissuade him from the dreadful option.

"I wouldn't do this unless I had any other choice!" said Riku turning around to face her. "But you do! You do have a choice!" Kairi insisted, "Riku… during the scan spell, I felt the baby's heartbeat. It's alive. A living thing that's a part of you."

Not wanting to hear any more, Riku briskly walked away from the clearing, leaving Kairi alone within the blackness of midnight beneath the gleaming stars of the many worlds that they sought to explore long ago. 

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**END OF CHAPTER**


	7. Anxiety and Hope

**I hope you guys are not mad at me, ^ ^; I know it's been a while since I updated. Thanks again for the reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying this tale of Riku's struggle in coping with his condition. Let's see what happens next... **

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Inside one of the castle rooms, Yen Sid sat behind a table in a corner of the spacious bedroom, gazing intently at a glass sphere perched at the center of the wooden table. He watched as blurry images faded in and out of focus inside his crystal ball until they faded into a cloud of white smoke within the spherical object.

He slowly rose from his seat and strode to the open window, the cool night air brushing against his face. He reached out with both arms and grabbed the knob of both windows and gently pulled them back, closing the window with a soft clack. He turns away from the window to find the three good fairies standing before him, a somber expression on each of their faces. The fairies remained silent, gazing nervously up at their wise master, who turns back toward the dark, night sky through the window.

"You have all done what was right." said Yen Sid breaking the silence.

The three fairies silently exchange solemn looks, then turn to the wizard once more. "…What's going to happen now master?" asked Flora. The powerful sorcerer lifted his head toward the stars above. "The darkness is drawing near… The keyblade bearers must soon go forth and confront it before anymore worlds fall victim to this foul plague."

"But master Yen Sid, Riku mustn't fight!" cried Merryweather, "He'll endanger the chi--!" She fell silent as Yen Sid raised a single hand.

"The unborn child may be in danger even as we speak…" said Yen Sid as he gravely turns to face the good fairies, who gazed at him confused.

"The boy plans to terminate the pregnancy."

Horrified, the fairies gasped as they gaped at the sorcerer. "Terminate..?" gasped Fauna, her hands over her mouth.

"That's awful! How could he even think of doing such a thing?!" asked Flora while Merryweather remained silent, shaking her head in disbelief. Yen Sid raised a hand, a signal for the three ladies to be silent.

"I know you all mean well, and I commend you for going forth in telling Riku the truth… but whether or not he should bear the child that you unwillingly created is not for you to decide." he said sternly.

"But master…" Merryweather began to object but fell silent as she looked upon the wizard's hard expression.

"That's my final word on the subject." said Yen Sid as he turned back to the window. Discouraged, the good fairies lowered their eyes to the floor.

"We must make haste, the darkness is spreading rapidly and time is short." said Yen Sid, his back facing the three fairies. "With the Angel of light gone, the darkness grows evermore powerful. We need all who are willing to stand and fight if we are to have any hope of eliminating this deadly force. Should the boy choose to fight…" The three fairies exchange nervous looks. "If it is what his heart commands, it is not our place to interfere."

The fairies all nodded at once. "We understand master…" said Flora, speaking for her two sisters. With that, the three fairies vanished within a cloud of red, green, and blue sparks that dissipated into the air. Yen Sid let out a heavy sigh as he walked over to his bed and sat on top of the dark, blue comforter. He then lifted his pointed, blue hat off of his head and set it down upon his bedside table. He yawned, then turned his head toward his crystal ball. He gazed at the glass sphere, which was now clear of fog, reflecting the night sky upon the surface of the glass. He sighed as he finally rested his head on the soft pillow, reminding himself to speak with King Mickey in the morning before he drifted off to sleep.

Riku stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him. Fuming, he hastily began pacing back and forth across the bedroom, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to comprehend exactly what it was that caused this to happen. Having to find out that he was indeed carrying a child and that the ones responsible were three fairies working for the great wizard Yen Sid was far too much for the teenager to bear. His mind reeling, he began to pace faster across the room, Kairi's words ringing in his ears.

_"A living thing that's a part of you."_ He groaned in despair as he fell back onto his bed, trying to shut out Kairi's voice from his mind. Never before has he been so distraught, filled to the brim with anxiety, ready to explode at any given moment. He desperately wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, anything to release this horrible feeling of hopelessness, anything to escape this nightmare he can't wake up from. He gazes up toward the white ceiling, a strange feeling of tranquility suddenly coming over him. He sighed heavily, feeling a pang of guilt for leaving Kairi alone the way he did, he knew she was only trying to help. But how can she suggest that he keep the child?

Having kids was something that he didn't think about often. The question of whether he wanted to ever have children had never crossed his mind before, after all, he had all the time in the world to think about marriage and family. Does he want children? A question he never thought he would answer until his teen years were far behind. The idea of settling down with a family would seem pleasant to anyone, but it wasn't something he really wanted for himself. He rolls onto his side, thinking hard about the options that he now faces. He knew in his mind that he can't go through with this pregnancy, especially with the stability of the worlds at stake. It's too risky, especially in the battlefield, carrying it would only make him vulnerable. Kairi's horror stricken expression came to his mind.

"_You don't want the baby?" _He sighed exasperatedly as he rolled onto his back. As of right now, he just wanted it to disappear, he wanted nothing to do with it. If he does choose to carry the child, what then? He could only imagine what people were going to say about him, especially everyone from the island. He already knew of the rumors going around about his absence the past year, the last thing he wanted was to create more gossip. No. He can't afford to keep it. Maintaining order within the other worlds with Sora and Kairi was his only responsibility, and that was the way it was going to stay. Having decided that, he reaches out and clicks off the light switch, casting the bedroom in darkness before falling into a rather difficult slumber.

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Everything was ablaze with fire. Bright, orange flames relentlessly eating away at the grass and surrounding trees of a nearby town. Terrified shrieks and screams pierced the smoke-filled, night air, overpowering the sound of crackling flames that surrounded the land. People were running in all directions, trying desperately to escape the deadly fire, but it was useless, the flames had completely surrounded them, caging them all to their horrible fate.

Standing in the far distance, away from burning the town, was the dark-haired stranger. He surveyed the raging inferno through his silver-rimmed glasses, a look of pleasure on his face as the thick smoke billowed up into the blackened sky. Behind him, a black, deformed shadow rose from beneath the ground, the shadow then assumed the form of a slender woman with long, dark hair that touched the ground, tied up in a tightly braided ponytail and bright, ember eyes that seemed to mirror the flames burning in the distance.

"I see you've decided to stay for the fireworks." said the woman, her lips curling up in a smirk as the orange light of the burning town reflected off of her eyes and tight, black, leather clothing.

The tall man smiled, "How could I not? I've always admired your work, but it would seem that you're enjoying it more than I am." The dark-haired woman chuckled, her eyes on the tremendous fire. "You say that like it's a bad thing." she said deeply amused. The stranger gave an amused grunt as he adjusted his glasses and turned to face his ally. "You've done well, but there is still more to be done my dear Lida." he said softly. The woman shifted her ember eyes to the man upon hearing her name.

"What are your orders… Master?" she asked coyly. "Search the area for any survivors." The man said as he gently placed a gloved hand on her slender shoulder. "Capture any who stray from the town, and bring them to me at once. I want to make absolutely sure that nothing remains." Lida turns around and walks away from her master. "As you wish." she said tersely before vanishing in a shadowy haze.

The stranger then turned his attention back to the chaos taking place below him, suddenly he heard soft laughter coming from behind him.

"That was rather touching." said a male voice.

The dark-haired stranger's sharp, hazel eyes narrowed. "You're late."

Out from the shadows, with his black cane and top hat, came the tall form of Zaier. "My deepest apologies." he said taking his hat off as he assumed a graceful bow. "My trap apparently worked too well." He said as he walked over and stood beside the man, shifting his gaze to the on-going fire.

"Any word on the other locations?" The stranger asked.

"I'm afraid not. No one on this rock has a clue where or what they are." Both men said nothing for a moment until Zaier bravely broke the silence.

"I did however acquired an interesting bit of information." The stranger shifted his sharp gaze toward the ginger-haired young man, indicating that he was listening. "It would seem that the other Angel has decided to come out of hiding." Zaier said a hint of amusement in his voice.

The dark-haired man smirked maliciously. "Well then… I suppose we should entertain him. After being in exile for so long, it's a wonder he didn't break out sooner." He said as he again raised his hand and summoned the dark blade, which appeared in his gloved hand, ready for its nefarious purpose. At that moment, Lida returned, walking toward the two men while dragging a battered middle-aged man by the ankle. "I found this one wandering the fields south-east of here." she announced as she tossed the wounded man to the ground with other-worldly strength.

The stranger approached the unconscious man, looking down on him with mild interest. "Is he the only survivor?" he asked looking up at Lida, who nodded her head. "He's still breathing." Zaier pouted. "Shall I dispatch of him?" He asked leering at the nameless man upon the ground, a hint of blood-lust in his violet eyes. "No." Answered the stranger, much to Zaier's disappointment.

"I have a better use for this one." The man holds his sword firmly as his weapon began to pulse with pure, dark energy. Standing over the unconscious man, the stranger then pointed the sword downward, swiftly thrusting the blade into the man's body. The wounded man let out a painful scream as the dark aura poured into his frail body, the sound reverberating in the smoke-filled sky. After several moments, the dark-haired man yanked his deadly weapon out of the victim's body, Lida and Zaier watched as the darkness consumed the nameless survivor, who was convulsing violently on the ground. They all watched as the unknown man began to change, his pale skin turning a sickly grey, then black as his body began to take on an unearthly shape. Lida looked on with excitement as the misshapen form began growing rapidly, until it reached a staggering 30 feet.

The transformation completed, the three mercenaries of darkness were now gazing at a figure of a giant four-legged gruesome beast with rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth that lined the inside of its gaping mouth, its eyes a pale yellow, leering down at the three human figures that stood before it. "Well well…" Zaier said nodding his head in approval. "This ought to make things interesting." said the stranger, smirking as he approached his monstrous creation, putting a hand upon the creature's dark coat. The monster dropped to its knees to his master's level obediently as the stranger brought his lips close to its ear and whispered something. The monstrous creature gave what appeared to be a devilish grin as the fires in the distance simmered down to a crumbling heap of debris, the screams of the poor souls that were trapped in the devastating blaze replaced by a disturbing, gravely silence.

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It was pleasantly warm in Hollow Bastion, now called The Radiant Garden, the mid-afternoon sun shining down upon the healing world, which is still under constant construction. Within the small market place, Leon casually made his way pass the growing crowds that surrounded the shops, carrying a large bundle of long rolls of paper on his shoulders while holding a small wooden crate in under his arm. Passing a rather large crowd of civilians, he managed to make his way down to the borough, where he was to meet with the other members of the Restoration Committee, who have managed to acquire a new headquarters in the southern area of town.

The committee has been rather busy of late since word of the new source of darkness reached them. For the past few days they have been hard at work, upgrading the security system, rebuilding the outer wall and making sure that every last civilian is accounted for. Though there have been no signs of mortal danger, the members of the restoration committee remain vigilant, knowing better than to drop their guard when disaster could strike at any moment. After traversing a labyrinth of houses and huts, Leon finally reached his destination. A large, secluded building greeted him, its roof a pale red and the outside walls beige.

He enters the large building, closing the door firmly behind him before continuing his way inside the headquarters. He walks into a spacious room and sets down the rolls of paper upon an old wooden table, a sigh of relief escaping his lips as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked up in time to see Aerith entering the room, holding a bottle of water in her hand. "Oh! You're back." She said pleasantly.

"Surprised?" Leon asked, his eyebrow raised. Aerith chuckled, "You got back sooner than expected. Yuffie tells me that it's a jungle out there." she said offering the water bottle to Leon, who took it gratefully and swigged it down until it was completely empty.

"Yeah, it's been pretty crowded lately." he said throwing the empty bottle into a trash pale across the room, "We'll have to work overtime if we're going to build homes for the new arrivals." he sighed as he unrolled a large map of The Radiant Garden, spreading it wide on the wooden table.

"We're almost done clearing the northeastern side of town, so we should have plenty of room to build more houses there." said Aerith pointing to an area on the map. "How many acres?" asked Leon. "Three." Aerith answered. Leon nodded. "Alright, I'm going to have to get Cid to map out a diagram of the area and see how many houses we can build there. Where's Yuffie?" He asked, looking around the room.

"She's at the bailey with a few volunteers." Aerith replied, "They're still trying to clear out the debris there." Leon sighed heavily. "Looks like I have to go get him myself." he said turning around to leave. "Thanks for the water."

"No problem." Aerith replied, smiling as Leon disappeared from sight behind the door. Before Aerith could do anything further, she suddenly froze on the spot. Slowly, she turns toward an open window, than gasped as she looked at the sky, which was slowly turning an ominous black.

"It's here." Aerith whispered, her green eyes wide as she watched the dark clouds spread, covering the blue sky in a blanket of darkness.

Down in the bailey, a small group of people were bustling about, carrying armfuls of rocks and rushing wheelbarrows in all directions. Several volunteers were crowded around a tall crane that was hoisting up a large chunk of debris. The machine roaring fiercely, the crane moved slowly toward a large pile of debris that sat on the edge of a cliff.

"A LITTLE FURTHER!" Shouted the young ninja Yuffie, who stood by the moving crane for supervision. Immediately the machine slowly moved closer to the rock pile. "OKAY! THAT'S GOOD!" Yuffie shouted over the roar of the engine, waving her arms as the giant crane came to an complete stop before the mountain of debris.

As soon as the machine was still, the suspended boulder dropped down atop the rock pile below, causing the entire pile to spill over the cliff.

"Alright! Nice job!" Yuffie yelled encouragingly as the many volunteers whooped in celebration. "Okay everybody, that's a wrap! Thanks for the help, you all did great."

With a collective sigh of relief, all the men began to converse with each other as they retreated back up the stairway toward the awaiting borough. Yuffie began to follow the crowd toward the stairs when she looked up and noticed that the sky was getting darker. "Huh..?" Yuffie uttered, watching the clouds turn black as lightning bolts began to dance across the sky. Yuffie's eyes narrowed, storm clouds were never a good sign. "I've got a bad feeling about this…" she said aloud as the wind began to pick up speed.

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Riku hunched over the toilet, spewing contents from his already empty stomach into the porcelain bowl, his hair plastered to his forehead. He groaned as he lifted his head, which felt heavy between his shoulders. He had only slept for several hours before he woke up feeling nauseous, a sensation that he was all too familiar with.

Since very early this morning, he remained in the bathroom, emptying his stomach every few minutes. He knew without a doubt that the thing growing inside him, which to him was nothing more than a progeny of evil, was to blame. If there was any other reason for him to abort the child besides the unnaturalness of the pregnancy and his age, the constant regurgitation would be one of them. With a sickening retch, he continued to vomit, feeling his abdominal muscles clench as his body expelled whatever remained inside his stomach, which was horribly sore from purging.

Over the splattering from inside the toilet, he heard something… It sounded like approaching footsteps. Before he could look up to see the source of the sound, he felt his stomach heave and was forced to bring his face inside the toilet bowl once more. As he waited for his stomach to settle, he suddenly felt something on his back. He then tilted his head slightly to one side. His eyes widened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the slender figure of Kairi, her kind face stricken with concern. She kneels beside him on the bathroom floor, reassuringly resting her hand on Riku's back, which was moist with sweat, though she didn't seem to mind.

Riku averted Kairi's gaze, the guilt from his earlier behavior outside the castle setting in. "Kairi… I…" He began but was cut off by a fit of hacking, it wasn't long until he became sick again. For what seemed like hours, the two teens remained in the bathroom, Kairi by Riku's side, holding his silver hair away from his face while rubbing his back gently as they both waited for the wave of nausea to pass.

As the vomiting came to a end, Kairi pulled the lever and flushed the toilet while Riku slumped onto the white-tiled floor, weary from his earlier sickness and sleepless night. He looked up at Kairi, who grabbed a tall glass of water from the rim of the sink and squatted down to his level. "Here." she said offering him the drink. Riku gazed at her, wondering if she was upset at all about what happened the previous night, and also how she knew he was awake at this time, she couldn't have heard him, he was certain that he closed the door before he fell asleep. Without a word, he takes the glass from her and brings it to his lips.

"I thought you could use some help." Kairi said smiling sheepishly. Riku tilted his head down, feeling awkward about throwing up in front of Kairi for the second time. "Thanks." he said gratefully taking a sip of water, grimacing as he swallowed the lukewarm water.

"Here, let me." said Kairi grabbing the tall glass from him. Riku watched as she held the glass cup firmly in her hands. She closed her eyes just like when she performed the scan spell. At first nothing happened, everything was still until suddenly the cup in her hand began to glow with a blue light.

A few moments later, the blue light vanished as condensation began to form on the glass. Kairi gave the cup back to the weary silver-haired teen, who immediately accepted the water, the now cold glass stinging his fingers. He drank deeply, relishing in the ice cold sensation that flowed into his tired body. He sighed heavily as he emptied his glass, "How did you know I was up?" he asked placing the empty, glass cup on the floor.

"I was worried about you, so I came to check in on you." Kairi replied.

"You seem to be doing that a lot lately." Riku said nonchalantly looking up at her.

Kairi hesitated for a moment, shifting uncomfortably on the spot. "I just… I just want to help." she said gazing at the sixteen-year-old firmly.

Riku said nothing, not knowing whether whatever he says next will make anything better or worse. "…I'm sorry." he said staring at the floor.

"For what?" Kairi asked confused. "For leaving you alone last night, I know that you were just trying to help." Riku said regretfully. Kairi said nothing as she placed her hand gently upon Riku's own hand, causing him to look up in surprise. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault." she said softly, "I know it must be hard for you to have to find out about all this." Riku remained silent, gazing deeply at her compassionate, cerulean eyes.

Suddenly he looked away when he heard the sound of birds chirping in the distance. "What time is it?" he asked changing the subject.

Kairi looked back at the bedside clock in the bedroom. "It's 7:42 a.m." she answered. Riku blinked in disbelief, it was past seven already? It was then that he realized just how lucky he was that it was Kairi that came into his room and not Sora, he didn't know if he could handle anyone else hovering over him about his "special" condition, which in his case would be an understatement.

"It's morning?" he asked incredulously. "Yeah, guess you were up longer than you thought." said Kairi smiling. Riku groggily got to his feet, "Yeah I guess so." he said chuckling. They fell into an awkward silence. "…Come on." said Kairi, "Breakfast will start soon." Riku stepped forward to leave but stopped when he reached the doorway, Kairi stopped abruptly and turned around to face him. "What's wrong?" she asked. Riku remained silent, gazing at the floor. "…I… Think I'll skip out on breakfast today." he said finally.

Kairi nodded, she didn't need to ask why. "You want me to bring you anything?" she asked. Riku shook his head, "I'm going to the courtyard to catch up on my training before noon." Kairi opened her mouth to object but suddenly remembered the events that took place just last night and remained silent. She desperately wanted to stop him from doing anything that could harm the unborn child, but didn't know if she could. "Okay." she said deciding not to say anything more as the both of them exited the bedroom without another word.

As they made their way along the halls, they saw a figure with spiky hair roaming the colonnade. "Sora!" Kairi greeted happily as she jogged over to him. The fifteen-year-old turned around and smiled. "Riku! Kairi!" Sora cried cheerfully, waving his arm in greeting. "Hey." Riku greeted raising a single hand. "I'm glad you're up. I was hoping that you and I could have a little one on one sparing match before breakfast." Sora said smirking at the silver-haired teen, who grinned back him.

Kairi was the only one who was not happy about it in the least. "Sora, I don't think he's feeling up to--"

"You're on." said Riku cutting across her objection, he longed for some exercise and wasn't going to let this pregnancy stop him from a challenge.

Kairi gasped, "But, you can't--" she began but was cut off by Sora. "Race you to the courtyard!" He exclaimed as turned to run but suddenly recoiled when the great wizard Yen Sid appeared in a cloud of white light in front of the three keyblade bearers.

"Master Yen Sid!" Sora and Kairi cried out in surprise. The wise sorcerer gazed upon the three teenagers solemnly. "Wielders of the keyblade… The time has now come for you to confront the enemy." He announced. "What? Now?" Kairi asked shocked by the news. "The darkness has begun to take hold of another world, the three of you must make haste and stop it before it completely consumes more lives." said Yen Sid, spreading his arms. Suddenly, three white orbs appeared before the keyblade masters.

"These will help you on your journey." All three teens reached out and touched the floating orbs. Suddenly they all began to glow, each of them surrounded by a white aura, raising Sora's strength, Riku's defense and Kairi's magic.

"The darkness you will soon face is more powerful than you can ever imagine. Be vigilant, for even the innocent can become deadly in an instant and will try to harm you at any cost."

The three teens nodded silently as the wizard continued. "The path ahead of you is a perilous one, you will need some assistance along the way." With a wave of his arm, another orb materialized in the air and dropped down into Riku's open palm. Riku gazed at it for a moment, it looked rather familiar. "This charm will help you in summoning your new friend to battle when needed." Yen Sid explained.

"New friend?" Riku asked confused, he looked down at the charm once more, his eyes widening as realization came over him.

"You mean… This is--?" He fell silent as Yen Sid nodded silently. "The creature was willing to assist you in defeating the new enemy. The little girl was quite reluctant in letting him fight, but after I explained to her that it was for the good of her world and others, she graciously relinquished him from her care. With the young girl's permission, I was able to transform her animal friend into a summoning charm."

Riku looked down at the charm in his hand, feeling its warm pulse on his skin. He smiled, admiring the creature's courage in willing to go to the ends of the universe to save his home for the sake of his family. Riku held it firmly within his fingers as he stuffed the charm carefully into his pocket.

"Kairi. As my apprentice, I know you will do me proud, good luck." said Yen Sid smiling down at his student, who bowed courteously. "Thank you Master." she said smiling in return. "C'mon, to the gummi hangar!" Sora said, turning around and speeding down the hallway, Riku following in his wake as Kairi stayed behind. "Kairi let's go!" Riku urged coming to a stop a few feet down the hall.

"I'll catch up with you in a minute." said Kairi, "I just need to talk with Master Yen Sid for a sec'."

Sora and Riku exchanged looks. "Okay, but hurry!" Sora said as he and Riku disappeared down the hall. Kairi turned to the wizard, who gazed down at her solemnly.

"Master Yen Sid... about Riku..." she said hesitantly.

"Yes?" The sorcerer asked patiently. Kairi said nothing, unsure of what to say next. "... I don't think he should go into battle." Yen Sid frowned. "If he wishes to battle with darkness, I cannot stop him." he said shaking his head. "You don't understand, he can't fight! He's--" Kairi gasped as she stopped herself from saying anything she might regret.

"Fear not young one, I am well aware of what was done to your friend." Yen Sid said gravely. "You do?" Kairi asked surprised. Yen Sid nodded. "After I told the King about what happened, he agreed to give the three of you safe refuge from danger until you were ready to face the enemy once more." explained Yen Sid. "I'm afraid that in these dire times, he has no choice but to engage in battle."

"You're still going to let him fight?!" Kairi asked incredulously. Yen Sid then gazed down at his new pupil. "I'm well aware of the risks, but Riku has decided to take up arms against this new enemy regardless of his condition. Whatever comes to pass with his unborn child will be his decision alone."

Kairi remained silent. "Go. Your friends are waiting." Yen Sid urged, changing the subject. Kairi nodded silently as she turned around to leave. "Worry not young one." Yen Sid spoke out suddenly. Kairi stopped abruptly and turned to face her teacher. "Give it more time, and I'm sure Riku will find his heart again and decide what's right." Yen Sid said smiling. Kairi smiled brightly as she nodded and turned to leave. Yen Sid remained where he stood, watching as Kairi ran out of sight down the hall.

Sora, Riku and hastily made their way down the stairway toward the awaiting gummi hangar, being careful not to trip over the steps. When they reached the bottom, they were surprised to see a small group of people waiting by the bottom of the stairway. "RIKU!" a small voice cried.

Riku looked down to find Lilo rushing up to him. "Lilo hi, what's going on?" Riku asked looking around at Jumba and Pleakley, who waved to him from the distance. "We wanted to see you off." said Lilo. Riku looked up at the ship marked Kingdom II then down at the little Hawaiian girl, it then occurred to him that this might be the last time he will be able to see the family, who out of the kindness of their hearts, helped _him_, a complete stranger, in his time of need.

"I don't know how to thank you for helping me." he said modestly. "You can thank me by kicking some bad-guy butt!" Lilo said encouragingly thrusting her fist out. The three teens laughed at the young girl's enthusiasm. "Don't worry," said Sora, "they're gonna get what's coming to em'!"

"That's right." Kairi said appearing behind them, nodding in agreement as the spiky-haired teen approached the gummi ship. Riku kneeled down to Lilo's height, looking her straight in the eye. "I'm going to bring your home back, no matter what happens." he said fervently. Lilo then holds her fist out to him, extending her her pinky finger out. " You promise?" she asked. Riku wraps his own pinky around Lilo's little finger. "That's a promise." he said nodding his head.

Lilo suddenly wrapped her arms around him, much to Riku's astonishment. "Please save our _ohana_." she begged.

After recovering from the slight shock, Riku gently patted the little girl's back reassuringly. "I will." he said softly, regardless of his confusion toward the strange word. Kairi smiled as she watched the heart-warming scene, this was the first time she has ever seen Riku so affectionate.

"Come on!" Sora yelled urgently from the ship's entrance, "We gotta' go!" Riku nodded as he rose to his feet. "See you around." he said walking toward the gummi ship with Kairi by his side. Lilo followed the two teens, stopping when she reached the ramp toward the entrance.

"Take good care of Stitch! I'm counting on you!" Lilo said giving Riku two thumbs up. Riku stopped at the ship's entrance and turned around, smiling as he returned the gesture with another thumbs up, disappearing from view as the steel door finally closed.

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**END OF CHAPTER**


	8. Tension

**The wait is over everyone! Thank you for your patience. It took me a while to come up with this. Here it is, my Christmas gift to you: Chapter 8! Happy holidays! ^ ^ **

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The Kingdom II took to the sky, leaving Disney Castle far behind. Inside the cockpit, Sora has taken the liberty of driving the ship, while the other two keyblade warriors took charge of the controls. Riku slumped onto a black, leather chair next to the window. "So, where do we start?" he asked aloud. "We should check in on a few friends of mine from Hollow Bastion," Sora replied with his eyes fixed on the darkness of space.

"We should tell them to keep an eye out for that guy you were talking about." Riku nodded silently. More than anything, he hoped to find the stranger before anyone else, if anyone was going to annihilate the man; he was going to be the one to do it. Just thinking about the man made him shake with anger, he was going to finish what he started, even if it meant meeting his own end. He will pay. He swore with every breath in his body that he was going to make him pay for what happened to him. He looked out at the everlasting stars in the distance, wondering where the stranger could be now and whether he aware of the keyblade warrior's survival?

"How long until we get there?" asked Kairi seating herself by the window opposite Riku.

"Not long," Sora replied, "About an hour at best."

"With the Heartless ships out of the way, it shouldn't take long at all," said Kairi looking out the window.

Riku tore his eyes away from the window and brought them toward the white ceiling above him. He felt strangely uneasy, although the dark-blue skies ahead were clear, he could not shake the feeling that they were not alone in this vast blackness of space. Before he could contemplate further, he suddenly felt his stomach churn and quickly rose from his seat. "Bathroom…" He muttered as he hastily walked to the back area of the ship.

Kairi watched anxiously as Riku disappeared behind the dark curtain. "Kairi? What's wrong?" Came Sora's voice. Kairi looked up, suddenly remembering that she was not alone.

"W-What do mean?" She asked nervously. "You look pretty down, is something bothering you?" he asked as he pressed a yellow button that read: "Auto Pilot" and turned around in his seat to face the red-head. "Well…" she fell silent under Sora's gaze. "It's just something that Yen Sid said about Riku…" She said averting the spiky-haired teen's eyes. Sora blinked in confusion. "Riku..? What did he say about him?" He asked.

Kairi said nothing, she knew she had said too much already. "Is it bad?" Sora asked slowly, his face stricken with concern. Kairi remained silent, her eyes fixed on the floor. She desperately wanted to confide Riku's dilemma to him. It pained her to keep secrets from him. Him. A kind and loving person who would never do anything to hurt anyone. He has to know. As a close friend, he had a right to know. But she knew that telling him would make things harder than they were now, so she did something that she thought she would never have to do. She had to lie.

She looked up at the keyblade bearer's worried face. "…It's nothing; it's just that Riku is going through a hard time right now." She explained, her heart pounding in her chest. "Especially after what happened days ago. I asked Master Yen Sid if there was anything we could do to help, but…"

"But what?" asked Sora, hanging on her every word. Kairi swallowed, debating on whether she should just tell Sora the truth now and hope that Riku will find it in his heart to forgive her or wait until a more appropriate time to tell him.

"…He said to just give him some time and he'll come around." She felt her insides churn at having to lie to Sora, even though what she told him was not entirely false. Kairi did not know how long she could keep this from him. He deserved to know the truth, especially if it concerned his closest friend. The thought of having to deceive him made her heart ache, but she could not bear to break her promise to Riku. Sora frowned as he brought his gaze to the curtain.

"…Now that you mention it, he has been acting pretty weird lately…" he said solemnly. Kairi nodded. "He'll be okay," she assured him, "He just needs his space for now. Just give it some time." Sora remained silent. It is almost hard to believe what he was being told, though he sympathized with his best friend's feelings of guilt. But he knew Kairi well enough to trust her words. They were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Both teens looked up to find Riku emerge from behind the curtain looking paler than ever.

"Did I miss anything?" he inquired as he sat back in his chair.

"Nope. Nothing," Sora replied quickly glancing over at him. As he regarding his friend, Sora he could not help but notice his pallid complexion. Riku sighed. "Guess you don't miss much out here huh?" he asked. Sora grinned at him. "I always said I'd make a great captain…" he said lazily leaning further back in his seat as he put his hands behind his head.

"By the way 'captain', aren't you supposed to steer the ship?" Riku asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Sora gasped as he quickly turned back to the control panel, switching off the auto-pilot and taking control of the ship once more. Several minutes went by, still no sign of their destination.

As time wore on, Riku became increasingly bored. For a luxury gummi ship, there was so little to do to entertain themselves. No one spoke. All was silent beneath the gentle hum of the engines that helped the gummi ship ease through space. Riku tiredly rubbed his eyes with his free hand as he stifled a yawn.

"Why don't you go get some rest Riku? You look tired," Kairi suggested, breaking the silence.

The sixteen-year-old gave her a stern look. Though he could not deny that his early morning sickness that deprived him of sleep had left him quite exhausted, he did not want to fall into false sense of security. Before he could voice a retort, his mouth stretched open wide in a yawn.

"Fine…" He sighed, rising from his seat. "Let me know if we get there."

"Alright." Sora replied from the front of the ship.

Riku passed through the curtain and made his way down the well-lit hallway, hoping that he would finally get some rest. He stopped at the last room at the end of the hall. He stood there for a moment until the electric door slid open automatically, allowing him to enter the room. As soon as his eyes fell upon the full-sized bed on the far side of the room, he felt the weight of the sleepless hours he had endured back at Disney Castle on his body. He immediately went for the bed, sighing as he fell back and stretched himself out onto the sheets, which to his surprise was quite comfortable. He could not remember the last time he was as tired as he was at that moment, sleeping was something that usually came easy for him.

Lying motionless on the bed, he gazed silently through the glass that separated him from the surrounding blackness of space that was almost tangible through the clear window. His eyes drooping from lack of sleep, he gazed at the asteroids as they slowly passed the window, each one different in size and color. He stared at the floating, giant rocks, watching as they turned and twist this way and that among the smaller rocks, as if they were dancing with one another. As he gazed at them, he began to imagine himself as a child. His silver hair much shorter and his innocent face round, jumping around the colossal rocks alongside younger versions of Sora and Kairi as they all laughed and played, carrying on without a care in the world. How he wished he could return to those days of innocence. He continued to gaze at the slow-moving boulders, floating around within the abysmal darkness like fallen leaves on the surface of a puddle after the rain. He had seen this before on the cover of an old textbook back when he attended school, but it was nothing like this. Amazing. Beautiful. It was mesmerizing, he felt as if he could stare at it forever. He watched as the gliding asteroids became blurry. He yawned, blinking slowly as he finally gave in to his exhaustion and closed his eyes.

_He was lying face-up on the ground, blinking as he shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. His gaze was met with white clouds that slowly moved across the clear, blue skies. He heard faint squawking in the distance… Seagulls? He sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings. In front of him was the ocean, stretching on forever in the distance leaving the waves to brush against the sand. He slowly rose to his feet. As he looked around at the trees and waterfall his face brightened. He was back in Destiny Islands. His domain. His sanctuary. His home. He smiled as he felt the wind on his face, taking in the breath of sea air. _

_"Riku!" He turned around to find two familiar figures coming toward him. It was Sora and Kairi, waving at him cheerfully as they walked over to him. He was about to move toward his friends when suddenly he looked up and watched as black clouds began to cover the blue sky, casting the entire island in shadow. Sora and Kairi looked around anxiously as the darkness became more prominent throughout the island. Riku turned to the two keyblade bearers. He suddenly froze, his eyes wide as he gazed at a lone, looming, dark figure that materialized from behind Sora and Kairi, who continued to stare up at the blackened sky, unaware of the approaching danger. _

_"BEHIND YOU!" Riku shouted, his voice carrying on in an echo. He watched as the two teens turned around and gasped as they gazed up at the misshapen shadow. They both jumped back several feet away from the ominous creature, landing beside Riku as they summoned their keyblades. Their weapons at the ready, the three warriors watched as the shadow began to shape-shift into a human. It churned and twisted until it assumed the form of the dark-haired stranger. Riku glared at the man, his keyblade held tightly in his hand. He was about to lunge for him when suddenly he vanished. Riku looked around frantically, he was not going to let him get away this time._

_As he looked around, he realized that the ocean that surrounded the tropical island had vanished. They were now floating in an endless pit of darkness. As the three teens searched for their nameless enemy, the sound of maniacal laughter began to fill the air, growing louder and louder until it completely surrounded them. The laughter was suddenly replaced by the dull sound of metal against sand. Riku turned to find a giant blade protruding from the ground not far from where he stood. As he gazed at the weapon, he instantly recognized the strange markings engraved onto the blade. Before he could react, a dark mist began to form around the evil blade, soon it began to spread out beneath the ground. He looked on in horror as the dark mist began to slowly eat away at the island. He ran for the sword, but suddenly tripped over something and fell hard to the ground, sending his weapon flying from his hand. He looked up in despair as his keyblade landed several feet away from him, out of his reach. He hastily jumped back onto his feet to retrieve it but was forced back down on his hands and knees. _

_He looked down and saw that a root from below the ground had wrapped itself around his leg, binding him to the ground. He looked up to see Kairi get flung to the ground by the stranger, rendering her unconscious. Sora immediately raced to Kairi's side, holding his keyblade out defensively as he stood in the dangerous man's path. The Island was shrinking faster now, the dark mist closing in on the three subdued teenagers. Riku yanked at the root that ensnared his leg, but his struggle only made its' grip tighter and, to his horror, caused it to start dragging the him down beneath the ground. The stranger gazed over at Riku, smirking evilly, then suddenly vanished in a mist of black smoke. Riku looked around frantically for the dark-haired man, his eyes sweeping over the deteriorating island as Sora did the same. _

_But he was gone. _

_Vanishing once again to leave the keyblade bearers to their fate. Riku watched helplessly as the trees that nearly covered the island began to disappear before his eyes. He frantically clawed at the sand to pull himself up from the ground that threatened to consume him. "Riku!" cried Sora rushing over to the silver-haired warrior. "Hang on!" He grabbed hold of Riku's hands and tugged. As he did this, an enormous tree-sized root shot out from beneath the sand and swung hard at the young keyblade master, knocking him off his feet and onto the hard ground. "Sora!" Riku yelled in panic. He turned his gaze to Kairi, who remained sprawled on the ground unmoving. His eyes widened. The black mist had come close at last. The dark cloud-like mass crept its way toward the unconscious Kairi's feet. "NO!" Riku screamed as he watched the black smoke creep over Kairi's frail body until the fog covered her like a dark blanket. _

_Waist deep in the sand, Riku fiercely clawed at the ground, trying desperately to get free as the deadly mist drew nearer toward the teens, consuming every last bit of what used to be a tropical paradise. Sora, who had managed to climb back onto his feet, hastily rushed to the unconscious teen. Suddenly a black root rose up from beneath the sand and grabbed the keyblade bearer's foot, causing him to fall flat on his stomach. He rolled onto his back and yanked hard at the root that caught his leg, but the root soon began to pull him under. While both Riku and Sora tried to free themselves, the mist had already consumed most of the landmass. The last bit of the sandy shore was all that remained of their beloved island. Riku continued to try and lift himself up from the sand but his efforts made him sink lower into the ground as if he had fallen into a pit of quicksand. He gazed at his surroundings. All he could see now was darkness, an endless pit of blackness that closed in on him menacingly. He tured his gaze to Sora, who's struggle with the evil snare turned deadly when he began to sink lower and faster beneath the ground. _

_Riku was about to shout out to his comrade to stop struggling when he saw to his horror that the black mist had completely consumed Kairi and was now making its way to the spiky-haired warrior, who continued to try to free himself from the island's grip, unaware of the true danger that lurked behind him. Riku tried to push himself up from the ground but was dragged down further. The mist crept closer and closer to Sora, reaching out to him like a carnivorous animal stalking its prey. As Riku gave one last lift to pull himself up, he looked up at Sora and gasped. "SORA! LOOK OUT!" The beast had gone for the kill. He watched the black fog glide toward the keyblade bearer, covering him like a shroud. "NO! SORA!" Riku cried out. Before he could do anything more, that black mist had come over him at last. The fog swirled around him, grabbing at him like thin, gnarled hands. He thrashed his arms and legs wildly, trying to fend off the surrounding darkness. _

_He was not going to let the darkness have him. Not again. "RIKU!" The silver-haired teen whipped his head around in Sora's direction to find the keyblade master reaching out for him with his free hand as the mist consumed him. "Sora!" He yelled as he extended his arm out to him. He looked on helplessly as the mist ate away at everything he held dear. He thrusted his arm further toward Sora, trying to grab his hand while Sora did the same. Both boys try to reach out for each other but it was no use. Sora cried out to his friend as he sank deeper into the black mist. "SORA!" Riku yelled, desperately reaching out to his long-time friend. Sora feebly flailed his arms as the black mist swarmed around him, drowning him in a sea of darkness. "HANG ON!" Riku stretched his arm out further to the doomed teenager. There was no reply as Sora's head completely submerged beneath the mist. _

_"SORA! NOO!" Riku yelled. He thrashed about, trying with all his might to escape the grasp of the darkness. He was not going to lose his friends to the darkness. Not now. Not this time. "Riku!" came Sora's cry from below. Upon hearing Sora's voice, Riku began to thrash more violently against the mist that held him prisoner, calling Sora's name. "Riku!" Sora called, his voice carrying on in an echo within the black abyss that surrounded him. Riku looked up and saw Sora's free hand weakly reaching out to him. He reached out for the single hand. His outstretched fingers barely touched the hand before it disappeared along with the rest of his dear friend. _

_"SORA!" He screamed. Black, gnarled hands suddenly reached up from the mist and grabbed silver-haired teen. The dark hands were dragging him down, pulling him deeper and deeper into the darkness. He tried to reach out to his weapon but was soon pulled beneath the ground just as Sora had done. It was hopeless. His island was gone. His friends were gone. Nothing remained. "Riku!" came Sora's voice once more, sounding more urgent. The hands of darkness surrounded him. Grabbing, pulling and shaking him. "RIKU!"_

He gasped as his eyes snapped open. He was completely drenched in sweat; the sheets were twisted around his legs like coils. He felt as if he had nearly drowned in an icy lake. Panting, he looked up to see Sora and Kairi standing over him looking worried. He opened his mouth to speak but was suddenly struck by a sharp pain from his stomach. He groaned and rolled onto his side, his arms wrapped around his abdomen. "Riku! What's wrong?" Sora asked looking extremely frightened. Before he could answer, Riku rolled over and vomited over the edge of the bed. "Riku!" cried Sora. Kairi hastily grabbed an empty trash pale from the corner of the room.

"Help him up!" She ordered.

Sora immediately went over and assisted Riku onto the floor, making sure to avoid the puddle next to the bed. Kairi placed the empty trash pale underneath the silver-haired teen right before he heaved once more. He lifted his head up from the bucket, taking deep breaths while trying not to throw up again. Wincing from the pain in his stomach, he rolled onto his back. "Riku! What is it? What's wrong?" Kairi asked worriedly. He wanted to answer her, but all that came was another painful groan.

"What do we do?" Sora asked, terrified of what was happening.

Without a word, Kairi kneeled by Riku's side and held her hands above his abdomen. Riku glanced up at her nervously. He didn't know what the young red-head was preparing to do and he didn't care, as long as it was going to help ease the pain. Kairi gazed down at her hands in concentration as a golden light began to form around Riku's stomach. Sora watched her in amazement, looking from her hands to Riku, who laid still on the floor, sighing as he felt the intense pain in his stomach ebb away. A few moments later, the light disappeared. Kairi sighed heavily, letting her hands drop to her sides. Riku slowly sat up from the floor, feeling a bit queasy but better than he had moments ago. "You okay Riku?" asked Sora, gazing warily at him. Riku nodded silently.

"What did you do?" Sora asked turning to Kairi. "I… I don't know," She replied in a low voice, "I just did the first thing that came to mind." "Well, whatever you did, it worked. Thanks," Riku said gratefully.

Kairi smiled. "Anytime." She climbed back onto her feet. "You guys stay here, I'll go find a mop," she said to the two boys as she went out the door.

"What was all that…?" Sora asked.

Riku shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever it is, it's gone now," he said blankly rising to his feet.

"…Must have been one heck of a bad dream." said Sora contemplatively.

Riku looked up at Sora surprised. "Bad dream…?" he asked. With all the commotion upon his awakening he had almost forgotten about the horrible nightmare he had. "Yeah," Sora answered nodding. "You nearly gave us a heart attack. Kairi and I heard you screaming from the hallway. We thought that something was attacking you."

Riku fell silent. What the dream meant or whether or not it meant anything at all was an enigma. All he knew was that it was getting out of control. "What was the dream about?" Sora asked more concerned than curious.

"Forget about it," Riku said turning away from the spiky-haired teen.

Sora blinked. "Is there something you're not telling me Riku…? You haven't been yourself lately."

"I'm fine." Riku replied somewhat irritably.

"Are you s—?"

"For the last time, I'm fine!" Riku spat.

Sora frowned, "What's with you?" he asked indignantly. "What's with _you_?" Riku shot back. "I'm worried about you!" said Sora defensively, "You haven't been eating. You're always tired and all of a sudden you're moody. There's something wrong with you."

"There's nothing wrong with me," Riku said slowly trying to contain his anger.

"I think there is," Sora retorted.

"Well, you're wrong," Riku snapped.

Sora was taken aback for a moment. "Look, whatever this is, you can talk to me about it. I'm sure it's not that bad," he said almost pleadingly. "You have no idea…" Riku muttered acidly. He has never been more annoyed by Sora than he was now.

"Is it the flu?" Sora asked him.

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sick?"

"Just let it go Sora," Riku growled, his anger rising.

"What is your problem?"

"You're the one with the—!" At that moment, he became queasy again. He swallowed hard as he unconsciously placed a hand on his stomach.

"Something wrong with your stomach…?" Sora asked pointing his finger a little too close toward Riku's slightly bulging belly.

"LAY OFF!" He yelled angrily as he roughly shoved Sora's hand away from him. He quickly zipped his under-vest and pulled up his pants, covering the small swell on his stomach. "I'm not sick, so stop worrying about me already!"

"I'm just trying to help!" said Sora looking offended. "Well don't!" Riku flared before storming out of the room.

Sora stood there in silence. That was the first time he and Riku had ever argued. Usually they would resolve their conflicts by competing in whatever challenge they could throw at each other until they end up laughing and forget about what it was they had fought about in the end. But for his best friend to suddenly lash out at him… It's not like Riku to get angry so easily. What happened to make him act this way, Sora didn't know. All he knew was that whatever was going on with him, it was big. He could feel it. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

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Black clouds covered every inch of the sky above the Radiant Garden. The rooftops of various buildings were ablaze with fire. Down within the streets, several people were running in all directions, screaming in fear as they desperately tried to escape from the horrors that now plagued their home. Down in the borough, a couple of small children were backed against the wall, facing three dark, monstrous creatures. Pale, yellow eyes leered hungrily at the frightened children, bearing rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. As they stared down at their prey, one of the children, a boy, backed up further against the wall, whimpering as he watched the dog-like creatures fearfully.

As the creatures were about to pounce, they were suddenly blasted by bolts of lightning, causing them to disappear in a puff of black smoke. The children stared incredulously at the smoky remains of the vicious beasts. They looked around for the source of the lightning until their eyes fell upon the figure of Aerith. She approached the frightened children, a long staff in her hands.

"Hurry! Come with me!" She said briskly beckoning to them.

The children stared at the woman for a moment before rushing over to her. "Everyone stick together now." She directed as they hastily made their way through the cluttered streets, avoiding dangerous debris that littered the ground. Making sure the kids don't wander off, Aerith continued to lead them through the smoke and debris, instinctively leading them toward the bailey to get them away from the smoke and fire. They made their way through the streets, Aerith blasting more creatures with her magic along the way. She turned and led them up the stairs toward the platform only to be blocked by yet another dark beast.

The children screamed with fright as they huddled around Aerith, their tiny hands clinging to her pink dress. With her staff, she immediately casted the spell Firaga, sending a crimson wave of fire that washed over the monster. The monster screeched as it recoiled from the flames. Seizing the opportunity, Aerith quickly went further up the stairs, the children close at her heels. But the beast was not willing to let his meal escape. With a terrifying roar, the monstrous creature launched itself into the air and crash landed in front Aerith and the small children, making them jump with fright. Aerith stood firm, holding her staff out protectively in front of the terrified children.

The dark beast glared menacingly at the young woman, malice burning in its eyes while bearing teeth thirsting for blood. "Get behind me!" She ordered. The children immediately did as they were told. Aerith then held her staff firmly in her hands, staring down at hideous monster. She slowly relinquished her staff, allowing it to float freely from her hands. The children stared in awe as the long staff continued to levitate before them. The staff then began to spin clockwise in front of the somewhat bewildered monster. The children braced themselves for whatever was going to come as the long staff began spinning faster and faster.

A moment later, a giant gust of wind and ice issued from the rotating staff, hitting the dark creature with full force. The monster let out an earsplitting screech as the ice began to harden its limbs, freezing the animal to the hard, stone ground. "Come on!" Aerith directed as she grabbed hold of one of the children's hands and made a run for the entrance with them.

Meanwhile on the cliff in the great maw, the woman known as Lida was scanning the horizon, her long, dark hair blowing in the wind. She was about to leave when she heard approaching footsteps.

Down below her, Leon approached with gunblade in hand. The dark-haired woman smiled wickedly, "Well, well… Just when I was starting to get bored," she sighed contemplatively. She jumped off the cliff, landing swiftly in front of Leon, who stopped in his tracks. "Who are you?" he asked regarding the mysterious woman. She smirked maliciously, "I'm afraid I'm not one for introductions," she said coyly, gazing at Leon intently.

"What do you want?" He asked coolly.

The woman smiled once more as she grabbed something from her sides. Leon watched her carefully, contemplating on her next move. She held in each hand what appeared to be black ropes. "I want…" She began in a low voice. She suddenly unwound the two ropes and lashed at the ground beneath her with a loud crack. "…TO SEE YOU BLEED!" She screeched as she swiftly lashed out her whips at Leon, who moved out of harm's way, landing several feet away from the dangerous woman.

He charged at her, his weapon ready to strike when suddenly she disappeared. He looked around frantically for his enemy, bracing himself for attack. A moment barely past when she reappeared behind him and quickly lashed her whip around his neck and threw him hard against the ground. Leon gasped and choked as he desperately pulled at the rope around his neck. Lida prepared for another attack on the suffocating man when something caught her eye. She turned her head toward a distant cliff where a strange light was glowing. She stared at it for a moment and then smiled evilly.

"There you are..." she growled menacingly.

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**END OF CHAPTER**


	9. Through the storm

**Sorry I took so long, but the wait is over! Here's chapter nine, enjoy! XD**

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Down in the gummi hangar, King Mickey was approaching an awaiting gummi ship with Donald and Goofy beside him as Queen Minnie and Daisy followed close behind.

"All systems go Your Majesty! We're waiting for your orders!" Chip called from the control booth. Mickey stopped before the giant ship and turned to face his queen. "I'm sorry that I gotta leave like this." He said apologetically.

Queen Minnie shook her head, "You go wherever it is you need to go, just come back safely." She said smiling.

Mickey nodded, "I will. I promise."

"That goes for you too Donald." Daisy said sternly as Donald chuckled a bit nervously. "Not to worry ladies. We'll come back safe and sound." Goofy said reassuringly as he raised his hand to his cap in a salute. "We promise." Said Donald nodding as he mimicked Goofy's gesture. "Alright, off with you. You have worlds to save." She said urging them on.

Mickey nodded and turned toward the ship, "Prepare for launch." He ordered the two gummi engineers. "Sir!" The chipmunks replied with a salute. "Be careful." Said Minnie as she gave Mickey a quick kiss on the cheek. His face bright red from blushing, he along with Donald and Goofy walked up to the steel door of the ship, which opened automatically to let them in. The three of them turned and waved to the Queen and Daisy before entering the space vessel, the metal door closing behind them. Both Queen Minnie and Daisy watched as smoke billowed out from the back of the ship's engines. With a loud roar from the engines, the ship was launched from the hangar, out into the dark abyss that awaited them.

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Riku lies upon his side, still fuming from his earlier quarrel with Sora while struggling with his feelings of guilt for scolding him. His anger slowly abating, Riku sighed. If he was to get through this trip without arousing any more suspicions about his condition, he would have to get his emotions under control. Although they were only minutes away from arriving to their destination, it felt strangely like the ship was moving slower as if they were traveling through water. He lays motionless, puzzling over what happened after he awoke from his nightmare. He could not recall everything about the dream; all he could remember was the face of the man that caused the distress upon the worlds. He closed his eyes as he tried to remember what else happened before he woke up; Sora and Kairi had said that he was screaming in his sleep, which was something he never did, no matter how frightening the dream.

Thinking hard for a moment, he again tried to reach back into his thoughts from before he awoke from his sleep, but his mind remained blank. All that remained in his memory was fear; something he never wanted to feel again. He looks up at the window, watching the boulders roll slowly by. He contemplated on what awaited him out there in the worlds beyond, wondering when he will encounter the vicious stranger. His stomach turns at the very thought of him; he had only fought the man one time and yet it caused him enough anxiety to last a lifetime. He turns over in his bed, trying everything he could to fall back to sleep; but to no avail.

He rolled onto his back and waited, still his eyes would not close. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Riku sits up in bed, messaging his temples to ease away the headache that followed. It was not as painful as the headaches he had over the past few days, but that did not make him feel any better. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat motionless, staring at the pale, white floor, which had now been cleared of vomit. He cannot let this go on any further; it has been days since he was impregnated and so far it caused him nothing but grief. He had to abort the child and soon, but how to do it without Sora knowing will be difficult, especially with the spiky-haired teen constantly worrying about his health. Riku stood up and began pacing slowly across the room, debating on whether or not he should expel the unborn parasite before they arrive at The Radiant Garden and also how to do so.

It had to be done before he engages in battle; it would only be a hindrance in his efforts to find the master mind of this plot against the world of light. He stopped when he felt his head spin. Closing his eyes, Riku took several deep breaths then opened his eyes again when the slight dizziness subsided. He glowered down at his slightly bulging stomach. How something so small could cause so much stress on his body was beyond his understanding.

His thoughts were interrupted by a light knock on the door. "Riku..?" came Kairi's muffled voice from behind the door.

Riku remained silent for a moment before answering, "It's open." He watched as the door automatically opened, revealing the red-headed teen holding a small tray containing a plate of mini sandwiches and a tall glass of water. Riku sat on his bed as Kairi entered the room. "Hey." He greeted apathetically. "Hey." Kairi greeted with a small smile. "Just came to bring you a snack."

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

Kairi placed the tray next to Riku on the bed. "Well, you have to eat something. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

Riku said nothing as he regarded the tray of food; he knew there was no arguing with her. He grabbed the cold glass of water and brought it to his lips, but before he could take a sip he was struck by another wave of nausea. Seeing Riku's discomfort, Kairi reached into her pocket. "Here."

Riku watched Kairi take something out of her pocket. "Drink this." She said holding something out to him. On her hand was a glassy sphere that was glowing with an iridescent light that seemed to give off a certain feeling of warmth. Within the glassy ball was a bluish green liquid that swirled around in a circular motion, stirring up tiny bubbles that were caught in its unchanging current. It was almost beautiful to look at.

"What's that?" he asked looking at the strange liquid within the glass sphere while trying to settle his churning stomach.

"I made you a potion." Kairi replied, "This will help with your morning sickness and anything else you have."

Taking the potion from her, Riku looked closely at the colored liquid that bubbled inside the crystal ball-like object, feeling the warmth on his fingers; then he gave the glass sphere a sharp tap on his knee, creating a large crack within the smooth texture of the glass. As soon as the fissure was created, a torrent of color and light came streaming from the jagged opening, swirling around Riku's arm until it made its way up to his neck and head. Riku was still, closing his eyes as he allowed the potion to spread throughout his body. As his body absorbed the potion Riku felt the nausea abate instantly; sighing with relief, he drained the potion until nothing remained of its luminous glow.

"How do you feel?" asked Kairi looking hopeful. Riku stretched and then smiled. "A lot better, thanks." Kairi nodded smiling. "That's good." She said relieved, then added, "Now eat up, with things as bad as they are; you're going to need all the energy you can get." Riku opened his mouth to object but stopped himself when he remembered the argument he had with Sora. He did not want to cause anymore conflicts with friends, especially Sora and Kairi, who he knew had his best interest at heart the way he always did for them. Having thought this, he obediently picks up a sandwich, making Kairi smile and nod in approval. "You don't have to eat all the food, just as long as you eat at all." Kairi assured him, "I'll let you know if we get there."

Riku chewed contemplatively as he watched Kairi turn to leave; suddenly he got an idea. He sat up straight, dropping his sandwich onto the floor. _Of course! Why didn't I think of this sooner? _He thought to himself. "Wait, Kairi!" he called out abruptly.

Kairi turns around to face him, "Yeah?"

"How long will it be until we get to Hollo— I mean, the Radiant Garden?" Riku asked.

Kairi gave Riku a puzzled look then said: "A few minutes, at least that's what Sora says."

"Then there's still time." Riku muttered as he hastily walked past Kairi. "Time for what?" Kairi asked confused. Riku stood at the open door, scanning the hall for a moment before stepping back inside the room, the automatic door closing behind him. "Riku, what's going on?" Kairi asked slowly, looking worried. Riku was silent for a moment before he turned to face the young princess of heart.

"I need your help with something, but before I tell you what it is, I want to let you know that I'm doing this because I want to put an end to the spread of darkness." Kairi stared solemnly as a sign for him to continue. "… I need you to help me remove this." Riku said looking down at his stomach.

"W-What?!" Kairi gasped, looking horrified.

"I have to abort it before we arrive at the Radiant Garden." Kairi gaped at him. "Riku, you don't have to do this." She said slowly.

"Yes I do." Riku replied irritably. "…You don't want to have children?" Kairi asked in a soft voice.

Riku sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know; maybe… But not right now." He said growing solemn, "Look, I know that you just want to help, but I can't go into battle like this… I need your help." Kairi stood motionless as she continued to gaze at the silver-haired teen. "Riku…"

Riku turns away from her, "I've already made up my mind. If you don't want to help me that's fine; but I'm not going to let this continue. I'm aborting it; with or without your help." Riku said as he began walking to the door.

"Riku wait!" Kairi called out.

Riku stopped and turned to face her, a questioning look on his face. Kairi stood silent, staring at the floor; then looked up at Riku, "Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked in a low voice.

Riku looked her right in the eye. "I'm sure."

Kairi bit her lip as she brought her eyes back to the floor, then nodded silently. "…Okay... What do you want me to do?" A bit surprised by Kairi's answer, Riku's mind scrambled for any ideas on how this could be done. He wasn't entirely sure how an abortion was performed, but he knew that if he did something to damage the developing fetus, it could stop the growing process. That will have to do for now, he will have to worry about removing it after this is over. "Get out your keyblade." He instructed. Kairi did as she was told, the floral blade materializing within her hand. "Hang on." Riku said as he walked over to the far side of the room.

"Alright, hit me with your strongest attack; right here." He said unzipping his black vest, revealing the small bump on his stomach. Kairi shifted uncomfortably, looking as if she was choking on air.

"I… Don't want to hurt you…" she said her voice quivering. "Don't worry about me." Riku said reassuringly, though he too felt nervous about the outcome. "Besides, you'll be there to heal me if things go wrong." "Oh… Right." Kairi said sheepishly. Riku opened his vest wider, exposing more of his bare stomach. "Alright, don't hold back." Kairi nodded and took a breath, swallowing hard as she raised her weapon with shaky hands. "Ready?" Riku nodded solemnly, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Kairi fell silent as she closed her eyes in concentration, her keyblade directed at Riku, who stood glued to the spot, watching as bolts of lightning sparked around the keyblade. The bolts sparked brighter as the power intensified.

Riku held his breath, bracing himself for imminent attack when all of a sudden the ship shook and lurched, throwing the two keyblade masters off balance. Riku stumbled then fell to his knees. The glass of water he barely drank from tumbled to the side, spilling the cold fluid as the cup finally rolled off the bed and came crashing to the floor. Kairi staggered, dropping her keyblade onto the floor.

"Now what?!" Riku muttered angrily as he straightened up and looked over at Kairi. "You okay?" He asked her but before she could give an answer, they felt the ship shake violently and suddenly stop. "Did we hit something?" Kairi asked fearfully. Riku looked out the window to find the skies a bit darker than earlier and also that the ship was no longer moving. Then a sickening smell reached his nostrils; a foul odor that permeated throughout the ship. _This smell… its familiar… _he thought.

"Riku, What is it?" came Kairi's voice, penetrating Riku's thoughts. "Something's wrong…" Riku said anxiously. Both teens said nothing as they raced out the door, reaching the curtain at the end of the hall in seconds. "What going on? Why did we stop?" Kairi asked worriedly.

"Tell me you didn't hit something." Riku said somewhat accusingly.

"I didn't hit anything!" Sora said indignantly, "The ship just stopped all of a sudden."

"What do mean it 'just stopped all of a sudden'? The ship couldn't have stopped on its own." Riku said matter-of-factly.

"Well it did." Sora sulked throwing an angry look at the silver-haired teen. Ignoring Sora's foul mood, Riku gazed down at the screen on the control panel. "Fuel tanks are full." Riku said contemplatively. "Engine's fine." Kairi said looking down at another screen on the panel. Riku was checking over the rest of the ship's status when suddenly he heard Sora exclaim, "Whoa..! Look over there!" Both Riku and Kairi looked up at the window and froze. Out in the starry skies was a black, hazy, fog-like cloud floating around aimlessly, obscuring their view. The black fog had an odd quality to them that made it look as if it could obliterate a meteor. "What is that?" Sora asked in awe. Riku watched as bolts of lightning flashed across the ominous and familiar dark clouds that swirled across space.

_Those clouds… _Riku clenched his fist; there was no mistaking it; those clouds were summoned by the dark-haired stranger. _He has to be there. _Riku thought to himself as a mixture of anger and anticipation welled up inside him. "It kind of looks like the clouds we saw back on the island." Sora said contemplatively. "Whatever it is, it's not letting us through. It looks like some kind of barrier." Riku said as he continued to gaze out at the dark fog that swarmed before them grimacing from the horrible odor of darkness. It was menacing; sinister. He could actually feel it pulsing through the velvet blackness that surrounded them, sneering, daring them to come any closer; it made him sick.

"Check the navigation." Riku ordered. Both Sora and Kairi nodded as they did as they were told. After a few moments, Sora spoke: "According to the map, the Radiant Garden is behind that black fog." Sora replied pointing at the window. Riku watched as Sora gently pushed the steering device forward, as soon as this was done, the ship instantly shook, causing Riku and Kairi to stumble. The ship stopped as Sora released the rudder and threw his hands up. "Man! This thing won't let us go any further."

Riku looked back out the window, looking closely at the swirling smog. Riku thought hard for a moment. "Let's contact the hangar; the engineers might know something about this." Riku suggested. "Yeah." Sora said nodding in agreement as he grabbed hold of the speaker. "Chip, Dale; are you there?" Sora asked, speaking into the mic. Silence filled the cockpit as they waited for a reply. A moment later, a holographic screen opened up in front of them, revealing the two chipmunk engineers. _"Chip and Dale here! You guys need something?" _asked the engineers.

"We're kind of stuck here." Sora replied to the screen, "There's this barrier that's blocking our way and it's not letting us through." _"A barrier huh?" _Chip said contemplatively, _"Well, it's a good thing we installed a new weapon before you guys left." _Riku blinked, "'New weapon?'" _"While you were all training, Cid was developing a weapon that could pierce through dark energy like a hot knife through butter! After he finished, he shipped it here. All you have to do is press the red button on the right handle."_

Sora looked down at the handle bars. "This one?" he asked pointing to a red spot on one of the handles. _"Yep." _Said Dale nodding. Sora grabs hold of the handlebars and lifts his blue eyes to the window. "Here goes." He sighed before pressing a red button on the handle. The three keyblade bearers watched as a beam of white light shot out from beneath them. As the beam made contact with the black barrier, a bright light flashed across the dark void that surrounded them, making Riku shield his eyes from the blinding light. He slowly opened his eyes, hoping that the weapon they fired had obliterated the darkness blocking their way. His eyes fully open now, he looks out the window and saw to his great disappointment that the barrier remained without any indication that the blast from the canon had done any damage at all. Before anything could be said, a small flash of light blinked in the distance within the black smog; suddenly in the place were the light flashed, the smog began to swirl in a circular motion. From the safety of the gummi ship, the teens watched in awe as the swirling mist of blackness twisted faster and faster until it began to form a great opening within the dark wall, swirling inward like a tornado.

"It worked!" Sora exclaimed punching the air. This moment of triumph was short-lived when the ship began to move slowly forward on its own. "Whoa, what's going on?" Sora asked perplexed by the strange phenomenon. Before anyone could guess, they saw a giant rock move past them as the ship started to move out further. Riku gazed at the giant hole they had just created and watched the nearby boulder carefully, a strong feeling of dread coming over him; suddenly the rock was sucked into the enormous cyclone, disappearing within the endless darkness inside. His eyes widened. "It's pulling us in." Before Sora or Kairi could give a response, the ship was suddenly struck by an enormous rock, making the teens fall to the floor as the ship quaked violently.

_"What's going on out there?!" _came Chip's worried voice from the screen as the warning siren blared from within the ship. "The barrier's pulling us in!" Sora cried over the wail of the siren. Riku climbed to his feet, struggling to keep his balance as the ship rocked and shook, drawing closer to the mouth of the cyclone. "What do we do?!" Kairi cried out in fright. _"Hurry! Pull the emergency brake!"_ Dale shouted."Where is it?!" Sora exclaimed looking around frantically. _"It's that yellow lever next to the ship's entrance!" _Chip explained as he tried to squeeze himself into view next to Dale. Riku looked down toward the entrance. There on the wall was a yellow lever. "Kairi, take the wheel; I'll try to stop this thing!" Sora shouted as he began to make his way toward the door.

"No!" Riku exclaimed, grabbing Sora by the arm. Kairi looked at Riku, her eyes wide in bewilderment. "What are you doing?! I have to stop the ship before that hole swallows us!" Sora yelled as he struggled to free himself from Riku's grasp. "We can't stop now; it's the only way through the barrier, we can make it!" Riku assured him. "Are you crazy?!" Sora said giving Riku an incredulous look. _"You're too close to the black hole!" _Chip said his voice filled with fear, _"Get out of ther--!"_ The image of Chip and Dale suddenly vanished from the screen. Sora gasps with fright, "Chip! Dale!" he yells, receiving no answer from the blank screen. "I have to stop the ship." Sora muttered as he tried to make for the lever once more only to be pulled back by Riku, who tightened his grip on Sora's arm, making the keyblade bearer flinch. "We have to get through the barrier; the Radiant Garden is just on the other side."

"You're gonna get us all killed!" Sora yelled angrily as he tried to pry his arm from Riku's grasp.

"Just trust me." Riku said keeping a firm grip on Sora's arm. The two teens gazed at each other, both of them trying to make the other yield to their actions. "Look!" Kairi said pointing to the window. Both boys followed her gaze and saw to their great surprise that the cyclone had begun to shrink. Sora then let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, you win."

Riku immediately relinquished his grip on Sora, who immediately jumped onto the driver's chair and grabbed the handle bars. "Everyone, hold on to something!" he exclaimed before thrusting the rudder forward. Riku and Kairi were thrown backwards onto the floor as the ship launched rapidly toward the opening, which continued to shrink with each passing second. Riku rolled onto his hands and knees, his back aching from the hard fall. He crawls toward his chair, grabbing the arm of the chair and pulling himself up onto the seat as Kairi climbed into hers, buckling her seatbelt immediately. Riku gripped the arms tightly as the ship rock roughly from side to side. He looked out the window, watching as the rocks zoomed past the ship in every direction. He looked up to see that they were drawing closer to the cyclone, picking up speed as they drew closer to the mouth of the vacuum-like hole. "Alright, we're going in!" Sora said, thrusting a lever up causing the ship to suddenly dash forward with increasing speed.

The three teens held their breath as they plunged through the barrier, casting the gummi ship into darkness. The suddenly began to shake violently. After what felt like minutes, the ship became still once more. "You guys okay?" Sora asked turning around in his seat. "Yeah;" Riku answered as Kairi nodded silently, "and you?" He watched Sora wipe his forehead and smile. "'A' okay." He said giving a thumbs up. A heavy silence filled the air as they continued forward. No one said a word for a moment. Suddenly the holographic screen appeared again, the gummi engineers coming into view.

_"Is anyone there?! Hello?" _said Chip's worried voice. "Chip, is that you?" Sora asked. _"Sora! Thank goodness!" _Dale said relieved_. "The transmission cut off and we nearly lost it; is everyone alright?" _"We're all fine." Sora reassured them, "We made it past the barrier." he proclaimed. The chipmunk engineers let out a sigh of relief, _"That's good news. The Radiant Garden is just up ahead, but be careful. With the darkness running around like this, every world is a dangerous place now."_

With that, the screen went blank and disappeared from sight. Riku remained silent, staring out at the window contemplatively. "I hope everyone's alright..." Kairi said softly. Sora turned to face Kairi, "No worries; it would take a lot more than a cloud of darkness to bring them down. They're just fine." He said giving her a reassuring smile. Kairi smiled back as she dropped her head slightly, "You're right, I'm sorry." Sora looked taken aback for a moment, "Aw, you don't have to be sorry; just stay positive, we'll be okay." He said softly. Kairi looked over at Riku, who flashed a smile before returning his gaze to the window. It has been a long time since he had set foot upon what used to be Hollow Bastian, a dark and dismal place where Maleficent housed him for a time while he was on the side of darkness; while his heart became empty, allowing Xehanort's Heartless to fill the void he had created when the islands were destroyed a year earlier.

He shook his head, shaking off the depressive feeling as he forced the unwanted memories from his mind. _It's ancient history. It won't happen again. _He thought to himself as they came closer toward the mass of houses that awaited them. Then again he could not help but wonder if he actually believed the words he uttered in his mind. Minutes later they arrived at their destination. Slowly they descended onto a large clearing just outside the great maw. When the ship finally touched the ground, Sora pushed a button and stood up as the sound of hissing began to issue from the entrance. The door slowly opened, letting in a sudden gust of wind from the outside. Riku closed his eyes as the wind hit his face, feeling the cool breeze push his hair back. When the door was fully open, he followed Sora and Kairi down the ramp that extended from the ship to the ground.

He looked around as the area came into view, taking in the familiar surroundings. It looked no different from the last time he walked these valleys, though he has yet to see the town that had been built. He was about to continue down the ramp when Kairi gasped and pointed to the skies in the distance, "Over there, look!" When he looked toward the distant sky, his heart fell; in the distance, he saw thick black smoke billowing above a town that was not too far from where they were.

"Come on!" Sora ordered as he jumped off of the ramp; following his friend's action, Riku leapt off the ramp, landing hard on his feet. Without hesitation, he took off in a sprint after the spiky-haired teen with Kairi following close behind.

_He's here. He has to be! _He thought as he continued to run alongside Sora and Kairi, the ground pounding beneath his feet. They ran mile after mile without stopping, they continued forward, running until their feet ached with every step, but they would not dare to stop; every minute was precious to them now; the sooner they get to the source of the destruction, the sooner they could learn who is truly behind all this and put a stop to it. They slowed to a trot when the old, abandoned, decrepit castle that once belonged to Maleficent came into view.

"We're almost there!" proclaimed Sora jogging faster now. "Sora… Wait up..!" Riku panted, stopping for a brief moment to catch his breath before continuing after his friend. Sora suddenly stopped in his tracks, "Wait, what's that?" he asked gazing up ahead.

"What's what?" asked Riku coming to a stop beside the keyblade master as Kairi came up from behind.

"There's something over there." Sora said leaning forward slightly. Riku looked up to see a dark mass of animal-like creatures in the distance. _Dogs..? _He thought confused. Teens jogged closer to the mass, stopping when they were close enough to see them clearly. Up ahead of them was a pack of dog-like creatures, snarling and growling at one another, bearing razor-sharp teeth that looked as if it could tear through steel, crimson eyes leering evilly through narrow slits on their heads.

"What are those things?" asked Kairi gazing at the creatures. "Look, they're surrounding something." Riku said pointing toward the center of the crowd of dark canines. "Wait… That's…" Sora began slowly but fell silent when the black creatures moved aside, revealing the form of a man, lying motionless on the ground.

"Leon!" Sora said with wide eyes! The teens immediately summoned their keyblades and took off toward the black beasts with Sora taking the lead. The monsters looked up in alarm at the approaching warriors. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" yelled Sora before swinging his keyblade at one of the large monsters. Distracted from their fallen prey the beast swiftly spread out away from the teenagers and formed a circle around them, glaring menacingly while bearing their pointed teeth. Sora, Riku and Kairi surrounded the unconscious Leon, their weapons held tightly in their hands, ready for attack.

"What are they?" asked Sora, staring down at the creatures with caution and curiosity. "Heartless..?" said Kairi slowly. Riku remained silent. Though he could not decipher just what those creatures were, he knew that somehow these creatures were different from the Heartless, although they reeked with the same foul stench of darkness. The beasts suddenly lunged for them, their mouths open wide, showing all their sharp pointed teeth. The three teens instinctively pointed their keyblades to the sky, a golden light emanating from the tips of their blades. A large emblem appeared on the ground were the teenagers stood, covering them in a golden light as it glowed brighter and brighter until it lit up their surroundings. The dark beasts recoiled from the bright light, letting out painful shrieks and howls as they slowly dissolved into black mist that dissipated into the air. The golden light disappeared as the monster's screeches faded into silence. Their work finished, they turned their attention back to Leon. His clothes were tattered and blood stained and his brown hair a rumpled mess. Upon closer inspection, they noticed some dark bruises around his neck.

"He looks awful…" said Kairi kneeling beside the unconscious man.

"Leon! Leon, open your eyes!" Sora cried shaking the man. Riku bent down and helped Sora turn Leon over face up.

"Leon!" Sora called once more. Much to the teens' relief, the man grunted as he slowly opened his cerulean eyes. "S-Sora..?" he rasped.

"Where is everybody?! What's going on?!" Sora asked worriedly.

Leon grimaced as he began to lift his arm. "Don't move; you'll be alright." Kairi said insistently. "N-No…don't…let…her…" Leon whispered with fear and desperation.

"What happened? Who did this to you?" Riku asked. Leon uttered a painful grunt as his arm dropped to his side, "The… Dark Depths…stop…her…" he fell silent as he closed his eyes.

"LEON!" cried Sora. Kairi grabbed the man's wrist, waiting for a moment before saying, "He's okay; he's just unconscious." Sora stood up, gazing silently at Leon's limp form. A long moment of silence fell upon them until Kairi looked up at them and said "You two go on ahead; I'll stay here with Leon." The two boys looked at her surprised. "Are you sure?" asked Sora rather reluctantly. Kairi nodded, "You and Riku go find who ever is doing this, in the meantime, I'll stay here and take care of Leon; I'll catch up with you later."

Sora and Riku exchanged looks and then nodded. "Alright, be careful." Riku said before speeding off in the direction of the Dark Depths, Sora at his heels. The two boys ran side by side, neither of them running faster than the other as they swiftly made their way through the Great Maw. Along the way, they were met by more of the dark beasts they had slain earlier. Without slowing down, Sora and Riku summoned their weapons once more, vanquishing the demons with ease as they continued onward, leaving a trail of swirling smoke from the fallen beasts behind them. They slowed and came to a stop, catching their breath.

"Nice job…back there…" Riku complemented between gasps as he tried to catch his breath.

Sora said nothing for a moment as he gasped for air, "Thanks… you were…great too…" he panted.

When they began to breathe normally again, they fell silent as they continued their way along the dismal valley. Riku stared at the ground, feeling his heart become racked by guilt from his earlier spat with the keyblade master. He sighed; if he was going to apologize, he might as well do it now. He stopped as he took a breath. "Hey…Sora?" Riku said glancing over at his friend. "Hm?" Sora uttered stopping and turning toward the silver-haired teen.

Riku said nothing for a moment, "Listen…about what happened on the ship…the way I acted…" he said slowly, weighing his words.

"Forget about it." Sora replied with a wave of his hand. Riku looked up surprised, unsure of what to say. "We might say or do things we don't mean to, but no matter how mad we get at each other, we're still friends. Right?" Riku stared; it was almost strange that Sora would just wave away the subject of their argument, but he was relieved nonetheless.

"Right." He replied, smiling and nodding as he and Sora slapped each other's hands in a high five. They were going to continue toward their destination when something caught their attention up ahead. Bolts of what appeared to be black lightning sparked in the sky beyond a cliff that blocked their view of the source of the dark energy. Without a word, both Riku and Sora resumed their race toward the Dark Depths, speeding through the crystal fissure.

Reaching the Dark Depths at last, they stopped abruptly to see a tall, slender figure of a woman with dark hair dressed all in black leather, standing in the middle of the clearing, a large orb of dark energy generating from her hand. "Hold it!" yelled Sora as he and Riku assumed their fighting stances with keyblade in hand. The dark orb vanished as she turned around to face them. "So… You're the keyblade masters?" the woman asked, smiling as she regarded the boys. Riku gazed at her. He was positive that he had never seen this woman before, but her scent reeked of the darkness similar to the nameless man from the tropical world.

"Yeah, so what?" Riku asked glaring at the woman, who smirked evilly at them.

"Are you the one who attacked Leon?!" asked Sora. The woman giggled, "So Leon was his name? He was quite a disappointment; he was no fun at all." She sighed.

"You'll pay!" Sora said fervently. The woman chuckled softly. "Well then, in that case…" she began as she grabbed the long black ropes on her sides. "Try and stop me." She said smiling wickedly. Sora and Riku readied themselves for attack. They were about strike when the woman suddenly grabbed her head, a pained look on her face; then began to speak in a low voice. "Huh…What..? But what about the--?!"

Riku and Sora stood motionless as they continued to watch the woman. "What's going on? Who is she talking to?" Sora asked deeply confused.

Before Riku could give a response, the woman growled angrily as she straightened up, glaring viciously at the keyblade masters. "You live; for now." She said in a dangerous tone before she vanished beneath a cloud of dark mist. "Hey!" Sora yelled as he sprinted forward toward the dark cloud but it was too late; the cloud had disappeared, along with the nameless woman.

"She's gone for now, but she'll be back." Said a male voice. Sora and Riku quickly turned to find Kairi walking alongside the now fully healed Leon. "Leon! You're okay!" Sora said happily.

"I am; thanks to your friend." Leon said flashing Kairi a small smile.

"Who was she?" Riku asked going back to their previous topic. "Your guess is as good as mine." Leon replied shaking his head.

They were interrupted by a loud boom of thunder. "Great, just what we need." Leon muttered, "Come on, there's a shelter not far from here. If we hurry, we could make it before it starts raining." All three teens nodded as they began to follow Leon out. Riku suddenly felt an unusual sensation coming from behind. He turned around and stared at the empty clearing for a moment, unsure of what to look for. He shook his head. _It's probably nothing. _He thought to himself before exiting the ominous Dark Depths.

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	10. Hidden Darkness

**_Hey everybody! Sorry for taking so long, I'l_**_**l try to write the next chapter as fast as I can. Anyway, enjoy and thanks for reading. ^ ^**_

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The once beautiful Radiant Garden, heavily shrouded in smoke, fell eerily silent beneath the darkness that threatened to take hold. The streets remained desolate, filled only with debris and the haunting memory of the horror that took place. Inside Ansem's castle, the corridors leading to his study were heavily crowded with people, filling the halls with worried voices and fearful whispers. Families were huddled together, frightened by the events that took place just outside the protective walls that now surrounded them. Patrolling the crowded halls, Aerith strode in all directions, tending to the injured and reassuring the worried townsfolk while making sure that all their needs are met.

Yuffie patrolled the postern, ready to attack anything that might come near. She gazed all around her, making absolutely sure that not even a fly gets by her. Inside Ansem's study, Merlin stood in front of the desk, stroking his long, white beard as he puzzled over the situation that they were all in. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. He turned his head in time to see Aerith walk through the door, looking quite tired.

"Oh, Aerith, eh-how is everyone?" he asked as he began to clean his round spectacles with his blue robe. Closing the door, Aerith sighs heavily, "I've just finished healing all the injured so they'll be fine." she said leaning against the wall. Putting his glasses back on, Merlin reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand; with one swift wrist movement, a porcelain tea kettle and a matching tea cup appeared in front of Aerith. "Here, have some tea. You must be exhausted from having to attend to all those people." He said with a sympathetic smile. "Thank you." said Aerith, smiling as she watched the floating kettle magically tip over and pour hot tea into the cup before floating neatly into her hands. "Any word from Leon?" she asked before taking a sip of tea.

With a heavy sigh, Merlin leaned against the desk, rubbing his temples. "No, I'm afraid not. As long as those beasts continue to roam here, I don't think we'll be hearing from him anytime soon." he said sullenly, "On top of that, the defense system doesn't seem to be strong enough to hold these creatures back. Things have certainly taken an unpleasant turn." he sighed. Aerith said nothing for a moment. "I'm going to check on Tron." she said as she made her way toward the hidden room. She was about to enter the entrance into the computer room when she heard the sound of broken glass from beneath her feet. She looked down and realized that she had stepped on a picture frame, the glass pane crushed under her foot. "Oops..." She uttered as she bent over to picked up the photo. "Oh, not to worry." Merlin assured her, "It's just an old photograph, I'm sure no one is going to mind." he added with a laugh.

Aerith carefully removed the picture from beneath the mess of glass on the floor, leaving behind the damaged frame as she gazed at photo. It was a photograph of a group of young men, all of them dressed in white lab coats, stoically facing the direction of the camera. They stood in a neat formation, each of them standing next to one another so that no one would be left out of the photo. "These men... Who are they?" she asked, more to herself. A few moments later, unaware that Merlin had been looking over her shoulder, Aerith was slightly surprised to hear his voice saying "Well, judging by the age of the photo and the kind of clothes they're all wearing, my guess would be that they are old apprentices of Ansem The Wise." Aerith looked closely at the group of men, gazing closely at their emotionless faces. For an instant, she thought they were all standing before a dirt pathway that lead up to a large house in the distance, But upon closer inspection, she realized that the men were standing behind an enormous, framed painting.

The painting was that of a mansion, barred behind iron gates. She squinted her eyes and found to her surprise a figure of a man and a woman, dressed in fine, Victorian attire, smiling and dancing on the veranda. Her reverie was suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps. The door re-opened, revealing a very agitated Yuffie; slamming the door, she heaves a heavy sigh. "It's a mad house in there..!" she breathed, leaning her back against the door. "What happened?" asked Aerith. "Three of those monsters tried to make a break for the entrance, but I got them just in time. After that, Tron had to close the gate, some of the people are freaked out of their minds." Yuffie explained.

"Well, given the circumstances, I can't say I blame them." Merlin said ruefully. "This is just great..." said Yuffie angrily, "Like we don't have enough problems with trying to put this town together." Aerith walked over to Yuffie. "Don't worry, things will clear up soon, they always do." she said, offering the young ninja a steaming cup of tea.

"She's right." Merlin agreed, "We should all just try and stay calm until we could find out exactly what's going on." Yuffie nodded. "Alright. It's just that if we know that Leon's alright, we would have less to worry about." Everyone fell silent. Yuffie looked up at Merlin, noticing his grim expression as he sat upon the empty chair behind the desk. "I'm afraid that there may be a greater danger that could be lying in wait." he said, looking down upon the various sheets of paper that lay asunder upon the desk. Aerith and Yuffie exchanged confused glances. Noticing their confusion, Merlin continued. "You saw it didn't you? How quickly the darkness swept over this world?" Both Yuffie and Aerith nodded. "Now, I may not be an expert on all things that have to do with darkness, but I _do_ know that the darkness that's surrounding us is unlike anything we have ever encountered before. But that's not the only thing that's unusual; during the trip here, I noticed that all the Heartless that used to linger here have all gone."

Yuffie blinked, "You mean... they ran away?" she said, her heart sinking by the thought. "Precisely." Merlin said with a single nod. Yuffie was stunned, the thought of there being something out there that even Heartless are afraid of was unnerving. Aerith remained silent as she considered this. "But... I thought Heartless usually ally with the strongest side." she said, looking over at Merlin, who nodded in agreement. "That's what makes their change in behavior more mysterious." Yuffie strode over to the desk, "Whatever this is; if the Heartless are scared of it, things could be worse than we thought." she said nervously.

"Where do you think the Heartless went?" asked Aerith, calmer than Yuffie. Merlin looked down as he pondered this. "My guess is that they're hiding somewhere. Like us, these new creatures of darkness must have forced the Heartless into hiding as well. But it's not likely that they would leave; no... those Heartless are still out there; waiting for this blanket of evil to lift so they could hunt for hearts once more." No one spoke as they let Merlin's words sink in. Sighing, Yuffie leaned against the wall, lifting her head toward the ceiling. "Sora...Leon... Wherever they are, I hope they're having better luck than we are."

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Rain poured down from the blackened sky; a torrent of rain that covered all of Radiant Garden, from the reconstructed town to the eerie, abandoned ruins at the far end of the great maw that was once the headquarters for the Heartless under Maleficent's control. Along the ravine trail, Sora, Riku, and Kairi hastily followed Leon along the cliff side, being careful not to slip on the wet ground as the rain poured heavily over their heads. Leon suddenly stopped in front of a large fissure. "In here." he said beckoning the teens into the large crevice. Without objection, they entered the narrow opening. Darkness covered their eyes. They could not see anything except for the last bit of light coming from the entrance behind them. "Where are we?" Kairi asked, shivering from the cold rain. "Just keep going. It's not far." Leon replied from behind them. They continued blindly down the narrow passageway until they began to see two ember lights glowing at the end of the tunnel-way. "What's that?" Sora asked, squinting his eyes to get a better look.

They continued forward, the ember lights glowing brighter as they came closer. They reached the end of the passage to find that the lights were actually torches lined beside a great door. The door was made of solid wood, carved into a fine shape suited to fit in the tunnel. On the great wooden door they saw a large handle carved into the shape of a lion's head, it's mouth open wide to depict a mighty roar. The teens gazed at the elegant entrance in amazement. "I found this a little while back." Leon explained. Without hesitation, Sora grabbed the long handle and pulled hard, but the door remained firmly closed. Riku went over to the door and grabbed the handle beside Sora, who tightened his grip on the lion's head and began pulling along with Riku. Both boys pulled the elegant handle with all their might, still the door would not move. Leon came up to the door and placed his hands firmly against it, grabbing it by the edge. "Pull!" he instructed before tugging at the door as Sora and Riku did the same. They pulled with all their strength until they managed to open the door wide enough for them to pass through.

In single file they passed through the door, the smell of wood, dust and candle wax greeting them upon entry. They soon found themselves in a spacious room that was dimly lit by fire from candles that hung against the walls, illuminating several large crates marked with crimson symbols. "Whoa, look at all this stuff." Sora said as he began poking his finger at a porcelain statue of a rearing white horse.

"Be careful," warned Leon, "If something breaks in here, the noise might attract trouble."

Riku looked around, trying to adjust his eyes to the candlelight around him. Every inch of the room was draped in cobwebs and dust that covered the various objects in the room. Moth-eaten, dusty, white sheets covered some of the furniture that was crammed along with the crates. "What is this place?" Sora asked gazing about in fascination.

"This used to be a bunker. It was built as a hideaway in case of enemy attacks." Leon explained, "But I guess they figured it was more useful for storage." Riku gazed at one of the old crates, running his hand over the faded paint of the symbols emblazoned across it.

"This place is old." he remarked thoughtfully. He looked around at the cobwebs that hung from the ceiling above their heads, then down at his hand, now stained with dust from the wooden box he had touched. "_Really_ old."

Kairi continued to explore the dank room, gazing at the abandoned treasures with great interest while Sora gazed closely at an open crate filled with what appeared to be materials for item synthesis. "Over here." Leon called from across the room. Forced to turn their eyes away from the fascinating objects, they crossed over to the far side of the chamber, being careful to stay clear of the delicate items that might break when touched. They ducked their heads under a large white sheet that was coated with dust, it draped over something that looked somewhat like an arch. Together they emerged from beneath the cloth and looked up to find Leon bent over an open crate.

"What's up?" Sora asked, watching as Leon continued to rummage through the wooden box. The teens watched Leon grab something from the inside the crate. "Here." He said, offering Sora several folded blankets. Sora took the blankets from Leon and passed them over to Kairi and Riku, leaving him with the last blanket. "It's not exactly comfortable, but it should give you some warmth at least." said Leon. "Thanks." Sora said, gratefully taking a seat upon a nearby crate. Riku pulled up in an old armchair; making sure the legs were sturdy before seating himself. He silently unfolded his blanket, giving it a hard flap before draping it over his shoulders.

"Oh! I forgot," Sora uttered suddenly. "Leon, these are my friends; the ones I've been searching for, remember?" Leon nodded as he glanced over at Kairi, then Riku, who stared silently at the floor. "You've managed to find your friends after all." he said as his lips curled up into a small smile. "At least _something_ good came out of all of this." Sora blinked, almost surprised to hear these words coming from the man. "Where's Yuffie, Aerith, and Merlin? Are they okay?" Sora asked, worried. Leon remained silent, his eyes glued to the floor. "I haven't heard from any of them since the attack began." he replied solemnly. Sora fell silent, a grave look on his face. "They'll be fine." Leon added quickly, seeing Sora's solemn expression. "Still; with things the way they are now, I didn't think you would come back, at least not this soon."

"It's kind of a long story." Sora said shifting in his seat. Leon leaned back against the wall, "Well, now might be the only time; from the look of that rain, we could be here a while." he said tilting his head up towards the dark ceiling. Nodding, Sora began explaining the events that took place, leading up to their arrival.

After he was finished, Leon remained silent for a moment before saying: "So in order to cleanse the darkness from our worlds, you have to find these Lumen Stones and activate them?" "Yeah." Sora replied, nodding. "Well...not just us, the King's looking for them too, with Donald and Goofy." he added. "You wouldn't happen to know where the other stones might be, would you?" Leon shook his head. "No, sorry." "Oh..." Sora sighed, disappointed. "It's pretty remarkable how you survived a blow like that;" Leon said, looking over at Riku now, "especially since the weapon was saturated with darkness." Riku merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Guess I'm just lucky." he said nonchalantly, his eyes on the bare floor.

"As for these stones," Leon went on, "if Ansem was studying them, then the data has to be stored somewhere in his computer, Tron should know where. Still, it's not going to be easy to get back to his study." he added, turning his head toward the entrance.

No one said a word for a moment. Sora then looked up at Riku, who continued to stare down at the floor. "Riku..?" Hearing his friend's voice, Riku looked up to find Sora's blue eyes staring back at him. "What?" he asked, suddenly self-conscious. "Nothing it's just that you've been quiet this whole time. You okay?" Sora asked, giving him a worried look. Riku nodded silently, "Yeah, it's just..." his words trailed off as he began recollecting the encounter with the nameless woman; she reminded him so much of the man that put his life in turmoil; his sneer, his darkness, they still clung vividly in his memory. "What?" came Sora's voice, bringing Riku out of his thoughts. He could feel the gaze of everyone in the room on him. He said nothing for a moment, then thought it better to express his thoughts to avoid any concerns. "That woman we saw...She was acting strange..." he said contemplatively. Leon blinked in confusion.

"Strange?" He asked, echoing the word. "Yeah;" Sora replied, nodding. "she was about to attack us when all of a sudden she stopped and started muttering to herself, then she disappeared." Leon remained silent. "What was she muttering about?" Kairi asked, her curiosity piqued. "I don't know;" Sora said, trying hard to remember. "I couldn't hear anything she said, but she did seem pretty mad before leaving; what do you think Riku?" he asked turning to Riku, who brought his gaze to his feet. "...I think she was talking to someone." He spoke without lifting up his eyes. All eyes blinked in surprise. "But how?" Sora asked perplexed. "You saw how she was," Riku explained almost insistently, "letting us go was the last thing she wanted. Someone must have told her to leave."

"Do you think it was _him_?" Kairi asked, looking a bit perturbed. "Maybe, maybe not." Riku answered. "But I know that they're working together somehow. If the darkness is spreading this fast, I can only assume that there's more where they came from."

No one spoke for a moment, the sound of the pouring rain echoing all around the room. "It's pretty strange..." Leon began, "With this much darkness going around, Heartless should be appearing by the hundreds; but I haven't seen any of them anywhere, all that's left is a few Nobodies." he stated contemplatively. Sora nodded, "Yeah. Whatever this is, even the Heartless are scared of it." he said shivering slightly. "Where do you think they are?" Kairi asked, pulling her blanket tighter over her shoulders. Sora shrugged his shoulders, "Beats me. They could be anywhere now." he said slumping in his seat.

Riku suddenly felt a strange but familiar presence. He tensed as a certain odor reached his nose. He knew this scent, a bottomless pit of darkness, a foul emptiness that could never be filled and a never ending hunger for that which they lacked, a scent that he was all too familiar with. The odor and presence were getting stronger, it was close, very close. At that moment, Sora's eyes widened. "RIKU, BEHIND YOU!" he yelled as the Kingdom Key instantly appeared in his hands. Before anyone could take action, Riku immediately summoned his weapon. He swiftly turned and swung his keyblade in a downward motion, slicing through the unsuspecting Shadow Heartless that jumped in mid-air for attack. The creature bursts into a puff of black smoke, releasing the heart that was sealed within. Everyone was still, their weapons in their hands. "So the Heartless are still hanging around..." Leon said, looking around him. Riku took a moment to sniff the air, the smell of dust and wood filling his nostrils; the odor of darkness was somewhat faint but still there.

"There's something here." he said, searching through the semi-darkness while Sora, Kairi and Leon followed close behind. They gazed in all directions, gripping their weapons tightly as they made their way among the crates and abandoned items, making sure not to overlook anything suspicious. Riku scanned through the dark corners carefully, searching for the pale, yellow eyes of the Heartless. Suddenly, up ahead from atop a stack of boxes, he saw a small, dark silhouette peering over at him. "There!" he yelled before casting _Dark Firaga. _He shot the ball of dark fire up at the crouching shadow, but the creature jumped out of range. The ball, missing it's target, collided with one of the boxes, causing it to topple over and fall from the top of the tower of stacked crates. The box crashed onto the floor, spilling what appeared to be photographs on Riku's feet. Paying no mind to the box's contents, Riku jumped over the pile of pictures as he continued to pursue the Heartless. "Riku, wait up!" Sora called from behind as he lept over the overturned box and continued after Riku with Leon at his heels.

Kairi stopped, looking down at the pile of photos at her feet. She was about to continue forward when she noticed one particular photograph among the others. She picked up the picture and brought to her eyes. In the photo was a group of men in white lab coats, standing in front of a large painting of what looked like a man and a woman dancing together in front of a grand mansion. "Kairi? Kairi! Where are you?!" came Sora's worried voice, forcing her to look up from the photo. "Coming!" she replied before taking off in a run, the old photograph held unconsciously in her hand. Riku viciously pursued the shadow Heartless, knocking down anything that blocked his path. The Heartless stopped in front of a large stack of wooden crates, it flattened itself onto the floor and crawled beneath the crates, disappearing from view; but Riku was not willing to let this one escape. Not wanting to waste time moving the boxes out of the way, he quickly began to climb the mountain of crates, eager to get to the other side before the Heartless could escape.

"Come on! This way!" he called down below, where Sora had just arrived. "Riku! Wait-h-hold on!" Sora yelled as he began his climb over the old boxes. But Riku could not wait, he was not going to stop no matter what. Glad that he had the energy, he carefully climbed down the other side of the mountain of crates. He could still smell the stench of darkness permeating through the air, it was stronger now, he knew he was getting closer. "Riku! Where'd you go?! Riku!" Sora yelled from behind him. He jumped down to the floor, landing hard on his feet before continuing through the maze of ancient artifacts, ignoring Sora's calls from the other side of the crates. No longer able to see, Riku followed the creature's scent. He continued forward until the smell became even stronger. He stopped and looked up; seeing only a tall rectangular object covered with a white sheet. He took a step forward, the scent of darkness growing stronger than before.

_Under here._ He thought to himself as he grabbed the dusty sheet. For an instant, he felt a small twinge of apprehension, having no idea what could be beneath the dust-covered cloth. Riku shook his head, forcing the feeling away. Now was not the time to be fearful of the unknown. He gave the sheet a forceful jerk, surprised by how easy it was given the size of whatever was underneath it.

Riku watched as the sheet flowed down to the floor, slowly revealing the hidden object from beneath. The sheet now removed, Riku looked up and saw to his surprise, not a Heartless or a door, but a startlingly gigantic oil painting, held by an elegant, golden frame that glistened in the warm candlelight. It was an incredibly detailed painting of a grand mansion that stood behind large iron gates. It was so large that it looked as if he could reach out and actually touch the gates. Riku took several steps back, taking in more of the enormous painting. It was not only the size of the painting that startled him, but the image it portrayed. The mansion looked dismal and empty beneath the bleak, night sky, its windows dark as the blackness that surrounded it . To the right side of the mansion was a dead tree, its lifeless branches reaching out toward the side like bony fingers, obscuring the view of what appeared to be a glass dome-like area on the far right of the house.

The scent of darkness was stronger than ever; Riku looked around for any Heartless that could be hiding, but saw only the cobwebs that clung to the walls. He brought his gaze to the painting again, realizing with shock and growing anticipation that the source of the dark scent was right in front of him. "Riku!" came Sora's voice, more urgent now. "Over here." Riku called. He waited as he listened to Sora's hurried footsteps approaching from behind him.

"What was all the rush?" asked the spiky-haired teen when he caught up to him. "I think I just found their hiding place." Riku said as he continued to gaze at the ominous painting. "What are you talki--" Sora's words trailed off as he followed Riku's gaze to the large painting. "Sora! Riku!" Both boys turned to find Kairi striding up to them, Leon following behind her. "What happened?" he asked looking around. "Riku said he found where the Heartless are hiding." Sora replied pointing to the enormous oil painting in front of them. A brief moment of silence followed as everyone looked toward the portrait. "...The painting?" Leon asked, a little surprised. "Yeah." Riku replied with a nod. "The Heartless I followed disappeared around here."

Kairi gazed at the foreboding painting, she was vaguely aware that she had seen that image before, but where? She was suddenly aware that she was holding something in her hand; she looked down and found the photograph. She gazed at the photo again, looking at the painting behind the group of male scientists. Her eyes widened, looking from the photo to the painting.

"It's just like the picture." She said aloud, making everyone turn to her. "But... it looks different." she added, tilting her head sideways as if to see if she was looking at the picture correctly. "What picture?" Sora asked, confused. "Look." She said handing the photograph to Sora, who grabbed it and examined it closely, looking from the photo to the painting as Kairi had done.

"Hey, you're right, it's the same one from the photo!." he said, amazed. Riku looked over at the photo in his friend's hands. There was no mistaking that the painting in front of them was the same painting from the photograph, but it was not the same. The painting was different somehow; more vivid and lively. Looking at the painting in the photo, he also noticed that the man and woman dancing in front of the mansion were gone. He was positive now, the Heartless must have somehow changed the painting.

"You might be right about the Heartless hiding in the painting," Sora said looking over at Riku, "But how did they get in there?" he asked, stepping closer to the portrait. Riku gazed once more at the mysterious picture, before walking up to the monumental painting. Perhaps there was some way he could create a portal and enter the new world. He stopped and looked up at the painting. _I wonder..._ he thought as he raised a single hand toward the enormous portrait. As if in reaction to Riku's presence, there was a sudden pulse coming from the painting, growing stronger and stronger. The painting began to stretch and twist in a circular motion, forming a hole within the oil portrait.

"Whoa, w-what's going on?" Sora asked fearfully. Before Riku could do anything else, he was suddenly pulled forward toward the large painting. "Riku!" Sora and Kairi yelled in unison before lunging after him, grabbing his vest and arms. Riku planted his feet on the floor, trying to stop himself from going any further as Sora and Kairi pulled against the force. The pulling sensation became even stronger; Sora and Kairi pulled with all their strength but the force was strong, stronger than they anticipated. It was not long before Riku was forced head-first through the colorful oils.

"RIKU!" Sora yelled. Leon grabbed Kairi's hand, giving it a forceful tug, but they would not budge.

Suddenly, Sora and Kairi were jerked forward with such force that Leon was thrown backward off his feet, forcefully letting go of Kairi's hand. He watched in horror as both Sora and Kairi were pulled into the painting, disappearing behind the dark colors, leaving a stunned Leon alone in the chamber of forgotten treasures. He slowly got to his feet, gazing almost nervously at the painting.

He sighed. "It's up to them now." He told himself as he continued to gaze at the picture, wondering what was in store for the keyblade bearers on the other side.

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**END OF CHAPTER  
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	11. The Haunted Mansion

**Greetings fellow readers! Thank you for waiting. Oh and before I forget, I did use a bit of the dialogue from the movie**. **By the way, I don't own Disney either. Enjoy! ^ ^**

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Riku felt himself falling forward. His head was spinning, he did not know whether he was falling down or flying up. He seemed to be spinning in place, floating in a distorted abyss of blackness. He thought he could hear Sora's voice behind him; could his friends have been pulled into the mystical painting like he had? Before he could consider this further, he suddenly collided with something hard. He closed his eyes tightly as felt himself roll on what felt like solid ground. He stopped, landing face up against the ground. At first he was still, stunned and confused about what had happened. Then, he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the cloudless, night sky above him, illuminated only by the full moon that shone brightly above the trees.

He sat up slowly, gazing at the surrounding trees that stood high from the ground.

_I must be in some kind of forest. _He thought to himself as he looked around; could he be in another world?

No doubt the Heartless are hiding in this world, he could sense the faint but heavy smell of darkness all around him. Wiping the dirt and leaves from his clothes, he steadily got to his feet. Suddenly he heard screaming voices, growing louder and louder. He was getting ready to take out his keyblade when he heard a strange noise, and saw a glowing sphere-like opening of some kind appear in front of him. Before he had time to react to the strange sight, he saw two dark figures fly out of the portal, landing hard on the ground with a heavy thud. He rushed forward for attack, but stopped, recognizing the figures of Sora and Kairi on the ground.

"Riku, you're okay!" Sora said happily, rolling onto his bottom. Riku sighed heavily, relieved and embarrassed at having almost mistaken his two closest friends for possible enemies.

"You too huh?" he said, offering his hand to Sora. Sora laughed as he grabbed Riku's hand tightly and pulled himself up from the ground. He immediately turned to Kairi. "You okay, Kairi?" he asked as he helped her onto her feet. "Yeah, I'm okay." She said, smiling as she wiped the dirt from her clothes. Sora nodded, smiling. "Good. So, where exactly are we?" he asked looking around. "We were all pulled into the painting," Riku replied, "Which means…" He turned around, looking up at the chained, black, iron gates that seemed to cut through the black sky. "There's only one way to go." He stared through the iron bars, seeing the old mansion beyond the scum-filled pond; he could sense the darkness coming from it, permeating the air. Perhaps whoever lived in that house could lead him to the nameless stranger, he could only hope so.

"It doesn't look like anyone is living there." Kairi said, peering through the bars at the mansion.

Riku shrugged, "We won't know until we get inside." he said grabbing and tugging the rusty lock on the chains that bound the gate shut.

"I got it." Sora said as he took a few steps away from the gate, summoning his Keyblade. Riku and Kairi both stepped away from the gate, waiting for Sora to unlock the chains. Sora pointed his blade at the gates, aiming for the lock. There was a loud click; then, both the lock and the chains fell from the gate and clattered onto the ground. The gates creaked as it opened slowly, stopping with a loud clack. Sora lowered his keyblade, looking awestruck. "Nice job, Sora." Kairi said, nodding in approval. "Um… That wasn't me…" Sora said slowly, gaping at the chains on the ground. "That's strange…" Kairi said contemplatively.

Riku looked at the black gate, then toward the mansion; perhaps there was more to this world than meets the eye. "Come on." He ordered, walking through the open gate as Sora and Kairi followed. Feeling more apprehensive now, the teens slowly began their journey along the dirt path, all the while gazing at the mysterious mansion in the distance as the dry, autumn leaves crunched beneath their feet. They were nearing the end of the path; they could see more of the mansion now. They could tell the mansion was old from the fading paint and dry walls. As they gazed at the house, the possibility of someone living in the old mansion became less than likely. They looked toward the side of the mansion and saw to their surprise the figure of a woman peering through the windows of the glass dome to the right of the house. They approached the woman slowly, getting a better view of the dome.

Hearing the teen's footsteps from behind, the young woman turned around to face them. "Oh! Hello!" she greeted, surprised to see them.

"Hey there," greeted Sora with a wave of his hand.

"I was just looking at this house." The woman said turning back toward the mansion behind her. "Were you invited here too?" she asked.

"Invited..?" Sora asked, perplexed.

The lady brought her gaze to the teens. "You didn't get an invitation?" she asked, confused. "Um…no," Kairi said, shaking her head. "Is there a party going on or something?" asked Sora, glancing up at the mansion. "I'm not sure." The woman said shaking her head. "Do you know the person who lives here?" Riku asked, looking up at the mansion behind her. The woman looked up and shook her head once more. "No," she answered truthfully. "To be honest, I'm not so sure if _anyone_ lives here. I was invited here by a stranger in a white coat." Riku immediately looked at the woman. He felt that because he was a stranger to this world, it would be best not to ask any questions about the stranger he hoped was the man he was searching for, but he could not help himself. "Did this guy have dark hair and glasses?"

The woman was silent for a moment. "I don't really know… I remember he had this big scar on his face. Why, do you know him?" She asked confused.

"A scar...? It can't be him…" Riku muttered contemplatively. "I beg your pardon?" The lady asked, looking perplexed. "Oh, nothing, forget it." Riku said waving the subject away. He did not want to reveal too much about the man he was searching for, but he had to find him somehow. Still, this other stranger seemed like someone who might know about the man he was searching for, he will have to find him first.

"So this guy invited you to this place? Do you remember his name?" Sora asked. Again, the lady shook her head. "He didn't say. I don't remember much…he just showed up out of nowhere and gave me this red envelope that had my name written on it. When I read the invitation, I looked up and he was gone. The next thing I knew, I was in front of this house."

The three teens looked at each other, then back at the woman. "We were looking for someone like that, but then we got lost and ended up here." Kairi explained. "I see… Strange things have been happening lately. I just wish I knew why." The woman said contemplatively. "That's why we're here." Sora replied. "We're Sora, Riku and Kairi." Sora introduced. "My name is Sarah." The woman said smiling. "Don't worry ma'am, we're gonna get to the bottom of this. What's in here?" Sora asked, pressing his face close to the glass window of the dome. "I'm not sure," Sarah replied, peering once again into the glass, "But I don't think you're going to get much out of that, it's pretty dark in there." she added with a laugh.

"I could try." Sora replied, leaning closer to the window until his nose nearly touched the dusty glass.

"I wouldn't do that; if you tried any harder, your eyes might pop out of your head." Riku joked.

"Very funny…" Sora said nonchalantly.

"Come on, let's see the back." Kairi suggested as she grabbed Sora's hand and pulled him away from the glass window. "Whoa! H-Hey! Hold on!" Sora protested, stumbling behind Kairi as he was dragged to the back of the house. Sarah laughed at the humorous sight as she followed the two teens behind the house. Seeing the spectacle, Riku could not help but chuckle; it was truly remarkable how Sora, the Chosen Keyblade Warrior, Destroyer of Heartless, was no match for the Princess of Heart. He was about to follow his friends toward the back when he suddenly felt a presence. He looked around, finding nothing but dead trees and moss. He turned and looked up at the mansion, gazing at the dark windows. Then, he saw a pale figure standing by the second floor window. Blinking, he gazed at the window, trying to distinguish the mysterious figure.

"Riku, you gotta come see this!" Sora called from behind the glass dome.

Riku tore his eyes away from the dark window for a moment. "Wait, I think there's--," his words trailed off as he brought his gaze back up to the window; the figure was gone. He continued to gaze up at the window, hoping to see the figure again, but all he saw was a white curtain flapping against the glass. Riku blinked; was he seeing things? "Riku, are you there?" he heard Kairi call. "Yeah, I-I'm coming." Riku replied, taking one last, long look at the second-floor window before walking around to the back, where Sora and Kairi waited with Sarah. "What is it?" he asked when they greeted him. Before either of them could answer, Riku looked up and froze, his eyes widening when he saw what was behind them.

The three of them were gazing at what they thought was possibly the largest cemetery they have ever seen. There were rows upon rows of graves that seemed to stretch on for miles all around. They watched the white fog glide across the hollow grounds of the graveyard, cascading over the gravestones like water from a fountain. Sarah it seemed was the only one who was not appalled by the eerie sight.

"Wow… This is incredible." She breathed.

No one spoke as they continued to gaze at the miles and miles of graves that covered almost every inch of the valley. Riku was speechless; there was no word that could possibly describe anything of this magnitude. This was ghastly, unbelievable. He could only imagine how many graves there were. Hundreds…thousands of lives lost. As he gazed at the vast cemetery he began to feel queasy, this time not from morning sickness; it was a deep, rotting feeling of revulsion.

_What is this place?! _He thought as he continued to stare across the cemetery.

Thunder suddenly clapped over their heads, causing the teens to flinch; seconds later, they were once again pummeled by heavy rain. "Aw, come on!" Sora protested angrily.

Sarah and the three keyblade bearers hastily ran back toward the front of the house, covering their heads as they quickly ran up the stone steps of the veranda toward the front door. They stopped in front of the large wooden door, gazing in amazement at the large brass knockers that hung on each side of the door. They stepped closer to the door when a flash of lightning gave way to a loud clap of thunder. "We have to get inside." Sarah said as they flinched from another thunder clap. She reached out for the door knob ready to grab it when they heard the door knob click from the other side of the door. They all froze as they watched with growing apprehension; the door began to slowly open, revealing the semidarkness within. As the door opened wider they were all shocked to discover there was no one inside.

"Spooky…" Sora sighed, gazing at the door in awe.

They peered inside to see if there was anyone behind the shadows but found not a soul. "Hello?" Sarah called, her voice reverberating off the hollow walls of the old mansion. There was no reply, all that followed was silence. "Come on." Riku said curtly as he stepped through the door. Sora, along with Sarah and Kairi, followed in without a word. As they walked further into the dark foyer, the door slowly began to close behind them. The heavy door shut itself with a loud bang, making the group flinch at the startling sound. Riku took a moment to look around, gazing at the finely carved wooden furniture. Above their heads was a magnificent chandelier, covered with cobwebs like the walls and furniture in the foyer. Old carpets were strewn upon the wooden floor; some of them thrown on top of each other.

He wrinkled his nose, the scent of darkness hung heavily all around them; whoever is behind this has to know how the darkness is spreading so quickly, it is only a matter of finding that person. "Hey, maybe this mansion is haunted." Sora suggested, looking around in fascination. "Like in the ghost stories we used to tell each other when we were little, remember?"

Riku nodded, smiling as he recollected the time that he and the rest of the gang from the islands snuck out of their homes in the dead of night to go to the island to see who could last the entire night without getting scared. He remembered how he, Sora and the other boys tried to scare Kairi and Selphie by making loud noises or sneak up from behind them and grab them. And the stories they would tell; he could distinctly remember a tale he told himself of a boy who ran away from home and drowned in the ocean by the beach, saying that on dark moonless nights, his spirit rises from the ocean that brought his young life to an end, looking for someone to keep him company for all of eternity. Riku stifled a laugh, remembering the look of absolute terror on Sora's face. However, their night adventure came to an end when their parents discovered their absence and found them on the island, up past their bedtime and far away from home, two things a small child should never be. After an awful scolding from their parents, Riku, Sora and Kairi, along with the other children who agreed to their little escapade, promised to never venture out to the island after dark again.

"Well, it sure seems haunted…" Kairi said looking around at the cobwebs on the walls.

"Hmm… Maybe this house is abandoned after all." Sarah said contemplatively. "That's the least of our problems." Riku said. He knew the Heartless were hiding here somewhere, but so far he has not seen any. It did not make sense; the scent of darkness was heavier inside the mansion, yet somehow he could not trace the source. They all jumped at the sudden sound of another roll of thunder; it sounded close, almost like an explosion. As the lightning flashed through the windows, Riku could see the armory between the staircases. The flashes of white light became more frequent, lighting up the entire hall of armor.

Suddenly as if by some sort of wave of magic, all the candles and lights flickered to life, illuminating the entire foyer. "Whoa!" Sora uttered, looking around in bewilderment. Next, they all heard something they did not expect; a voice.

"Hello."

The voice carried from the end of the armory to the foyer. The keyblade bearers instantly brought their attention to the hall of armor, taking a step back as they prepared to face whoever was about to come out of the darkness. Standing protectively in front of Sarah, they watched as a tall figure emerged from within the shadows; the lights illuminating his features. The figure was that of man with short, dark hair dressed in fine clothing that seemed to date back to the eighteen-hundreds. He smiled brightly as he came to meet them.

"It's been quite a while since this mansion's had visitors. Welcome to Gracey manor." He greeted as he gave a courteous bow.

Surprised that someone was actually living in the seemingly empty mansion, the teens returned the kind gesture with a single nod. Blinking, Sarah stepped forward. "Are you the owner of this mansion?" she asked. The man suddenly stopped in his tracks, gazing at the young woman for a moment before blinking and nodding, "Ah-y-yes, I am Edward Gracey." He said almost nervously. "Nice to meet you," Kairi greeted with a smile. "Same here," Sora said, "The name's Sora," He introduced. "And these are my two friends, Riku and Kairi." "And I'm Sarah." The woman replied politely. "It's a pleasure." Edward said smiling pleasantly.

"We're sorry for trespassing; we didn't know that someone was living here." Sarah apologized sheepishly. "That's quite alright, no harm done." Edward assured them. Riku silently regarded the man; he did not sense any darkness from him, nor did the man appear to have any qualities associated with darkness; but at the same time he felt that there was something vaguely odd about him; what exactly was it that made him so strange, he did not know, the owner seemed to be perfectly normal. Perhaps it was the way he is dressed; no, he has seen articles of clothing that were far more bizarre than his. Though he could not point out what made the man so unusual, he could still sense that something was not right; whatever it was, it was definitely something he has never faced before.

"This place is really cool," commented Sora. "Is it haunted?" Kairi asked curiously. "I was wondering the same thing." Sarah said with a nervous laugh.

The master of the mansion gazed silently at Sarah and the young keyblade masters. "That's a rather interesting thought…" he said smiling, "Tell me… Do you believe in ghosts?" he asked.

The teens looked at each other, confused and surprised by the question. "Ghosts..?" Kairi asked, blinking. "Hmm…I guess I believe in them." Sora replied, folding his arms contemplatively. "It would be kind of cool to actually see one." He added, looking hopeful. "What about you Riku? Do you believe in ghosts?" Kairi asked, looking over at him.

Riku remained silent as he considered her question. There was a time in his early childhood when he thought he had seen a ghost that was said to haunt a house on the islands that was abandoned long before he was born; he was looking through one of the dusty windows of the house when he saw something moving about in the darkness. Frightened, he ran all the way home, telling no one what he had seen. When he grew older, he returned to the deserted house, this time managing to break and enter the old home. After searching the empty house, much to his disappointment, he found no ghost, only a dusty coat rack draped with a dark coat and topped with an old hat. It was then that he concluded to himself that the ghost he thought he had seen was nothing more than an old coat rack. From then on, he never truly believed in such things.

"Not really. I don't have any reason to believe in stuff like that." Riku answered simply.

Edward turned his unblinking gaze to Riku, "You'd be surprised by what you might find in old places like this, my young friend. Sometimes the things that are truly real are the things we can't see." A loud clap of thunder followed after the man's words. "Who knows… perhaps you might encounter a wondering spirit sooner than you think…" Edward added as his smile broadened. "So what brings a couple of young people such as you to my mansion?" he asked, gazing at the teens intently. They froze, unsure of how to explain their journey to the mansion. . "Well… we-uh…." Sora mumbled, trying his best to make up some sort of explanation.

"They're with me." Sarah interjected.

Edward turned to the young woman, a look of confusion on his face. Surprised, the keyblade warriors looked at each other, looking almost as confused as the master of the mansion. "I found them before I arrived here," Sarah lied, "I don't know where they came from, but I figured that they could come with me to your mansion until they could find they're way home. I hope that's alright."

Edward was stunned for a moment, finally he said "O-Of course. You are all more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. You must be cold and tired from the rain." It was after Edward spoke that Riku truly began to feel the weight of exhaustion on his body. He stared at the mansion owner; he knew the man was hiding something, he could see it in his eyes. He did not know what he was planning, but he was going to find out.

"Ramsley will show you to your rooms."

As if in answer to the question the teens were going to ask, another voice sounded by their side. "If you will all kindly follow me…" the voice wavered as it spoke. Startled, the teens turned to find an elderly man standing beside them. Riku was amazed at how quietly the old man entered upon them, it was as if his feet never touched the ground; getting over his moment of surprise, he regarded the butler. He seemed to be far too old to be a caretaker, but his firm posture suggested otherwise. He was dressed in fine butler attire, with two long rows of gold buttons down the front of his suit. He stood by the curtains, his posture firm and statuesque, his expression stoically dignified; the mere sight of him sent shivers down Riku's spine.

He watched silently as the old man grabbed hold of a rack of candles and began to walk steadily toward the nearest staircase. "Thanks a lot Mr. Gracey." Sora said gratefully before following Ramsley toward the staircase with Riku and Kairi at his side. Sarah was about to follow when Edward spoke.

"Sarah, would you mind if I gave you a grand tour of this mansion?" Sarah turned to the man, surprised. "Oh…well…sure." She smiled, nodding.

Grinning, Edward took Sarah gently by the hand and led her toward the curtains that covered the entrance toward the library.

**S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2**

The teens tentatively followed Ramsley up the stairs until they came upon a hallway. They gazed about in fascination at the paintings and photos of possible ancestors that hung of the wall. Ramsley stopped in front of a door to his right. He opened it and stood presently at the door frame.

"The young lady should find this room comfortable." He said before slowly walking out into the hallway once more, allowing Kairi to enter the room. She took a moment to look around the bedroom before turning to face Sora, "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked nervously. "Don't worry," he assured her, "if anything happens, we'll only be a few doors away." Kairi nodded, "Okay." She replied, smiling before closing the door.

Sora and Riku continued following the old butler down the hallway until they reached another door to the right. He opened the door and stepped inside as the two boys followed him in. They stopped to take in the elegant room, which consisted of a four-poster bed and polished furniture that seemed to sparkle in the light.

"This will be your room for the night." Ramsley said his tone level and dignified.

"Thanks." Riku said tersely.

"Your room will be ready shortly," the manservant said to Sora with a short bow before exiting the room.

The boys were silent for a moment.

"This is actually pretty cool." Sora commented as he looked around the room. "It's even got a fireplace!"

"Don't get distracted; we're not here on vacation." Riku said solemnly. "Come on Riku, lighten up." Sora encouraged, "It's not every day that we get to stay in a real haunted mansion." Riku sighed as he brought his gaze to the brightly lit ceiling. "I don't know about this place being haunted, but something really strange is going on in this house." "I'll say," Sora agreed, "the way the doors opened by themselves like that, and then that whole thing with the lights; maybe we'll actually get to see a ghost!" he added excitedly.

Riku suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he brought his gaze to the carpet beneath his feet. "This place has darkness all around it, we just have to find the source and destroy it." Sora nodded, "We'll start in the graveyard when it stops raining; that place has to be crawling with Heartless." Riku walked over to the window, drawing the curtains back to view the rain pouring over the other side of the glass. "What I don't get is why they haven't come after us yet; I know they're hiding here somewhere." Riku was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea.

_No… not again..! _He thought irritably as he tried to fight back the sick feeling that gripped him without mercy. The potion Kairi had given him must have worn off. He could feel his stomach contents climbing rapidly up to his throat. He groaned as he leaned against the wall, trying with all his might not vomit on the beautiful carpet, especially in front of Sora; that was a moment he did not want to relive again. Noticing Riku's discomfort, Sora quickly became worried. "Riku, what's wrong?" Riku opened his mouth but quickly closed it in fear of unleashing the nonexistent contents of his stomach onto the floor. As he continued to try to force his stomach contents back down throat his face turned a sickly green, feeling the sickness reaching its peak. This was a fight he knew he could not win. He quickly covered his mouth and rushed to the bathroom that was conveniently located beside the bed, closing the door behind him. Sora hastily walked up to the closed door.

"Riku, are you okay?" he asked nervously; he shrunk away from the door when he heard retching from the other side. He stared at the wooden door, deeply concerned for the silver-haired teen.

He frowned; what was making Riku so sick? Usually if it was a cold or flu, he would have gotten over it in about three days at the most. It suddenly dawned on him how serious this was. It was not like Riku to be sick for so long, he could hardly remember a time when he was ever sick for more than a day or two. Whatever was wrong with him, stomach flu or otherwise, he could only hope it was not serious and that it will pass soon. Hearing the vomiting sounds lessen, he motioned to open the door to check in on his best friend when Ramsley's wavering voice broke the tense atmosphere. "Your room is finished sir." Sora turned to find the elderly butler standing next to the door, his gruff appearance unchanging.

"Oh! Yeah-I-I'll be right there." Sora muttered, looking back at the closed door behind him. "The room is just down the hall." Ramsley said before bowing and promptly exiting the room once more. Sora slowly walked toward the door, hesitating for a brief moment before entering the dark hallway. He looked down the hallway expecting to see the old manservant slowly making his way toward the end of the hall, but saw to his astonishment that the hallway was empty, Ramsley was nowhere in sight. Sora stood in the hall, feeling a sudden chill in the air. "Ramsley?" he called. He stood silent, squinting through the darkness that covered the hall.

All that followed was the muffled creaking of the walls.

Then further down the hall to the right, he saw a glowing, white light coming out of a door. His heart racing, he slowly walked down the hall and stopped in front of the door. Sora gazed at it, feeling as though he was having a moment of déjà vu. _Was this door here before..? _He peered at the door, trying to identify the source of the mysterious light coming through the small window; but it was too dark to see. Curiosity getting the better of him, he reached out and grabbed the doorknob, turning it slowly before opening it. He gasped. Sora was staring down a long, dark hallway that seemed to extend further than how the house was built. He stared; there was a part of him that signaled a warning, a foreboding sensation bubbled in the pit of his stomach, but his adventurous heart strived for him to continue. Feeling a sense of excitement and apprehension, he entered the ominous hallway, as he continued down the dark hallway the door slowly and silently closed behind him before it warped and vanished within the wall, leaving no indication that it was ever there.

**S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 **

Kairi sat silently in front of the mirror, gazing curiously at a crystal bottle of orange fluid. She carefully removed the glass covering of the bottle, releasing the sweet aroma of perfume. She placed the cover on the perfume bottle as she turned her attention to the other treasures upon the chest of drawers; she ran her fingers against the soft bristles of a silver brush when her eyes fell upon a black, glossy box that was marked with gold that gleamed in the light. She ran her hand over the lid, sweeping off the dust that covered the glossy surface. She slowly lifted the lid, waiting to see what could be inside.

As soon as Kairi opened the box, music began playing from inside; a soft melody that chimed pleasantly in her ears. She watched in awe as something began to rise out of the hole in the middle of the box. It was a figurine of a man and a woman in fine attire gazing at each other adoringly as they danced together. As she gazed at the statuette, she could not help but feel as though she seen the couple before. She sat there in silence, listening to the tinkling music that played without pause. Suddenly, out of the corner of here eye she notices something moving in the reflection of the mirror.

She looked up at the mirror and gasped with fright.

There in the mirror she saw a glowing blue sphere floating behind her. She turned around sharply, letting out a frightened gasp as she came face to face with the floating, smoky orb. Kairi remained still as she stared wide-eyed at the mysterious ball. 

_Is this…a ghost?! _ Kairi thought to herself as she continued to gaze at the gaseous sphere. The ball suddenly moved closer to Kairi, making her back away slightly, it came closer until it was a few inches away from her face. As Kairi stared back at the ball she became vaguely aware that the spirit ball had had a mind of its own.

"Are you the ghost that's haunting this mansion?" She asked softly.

She watched as the ball of light and smoke backed away from Kairi, stopping just a few feet from her before slowly floating off toward one of the doors in the bedroom. It went through the door, vanishing from view. Kairi stood there, puzzling over the strange occurrence she had witnessed. She had this feeling that the spirit orb was beckoning to her. Perhaps it was a lost soul that needed her help in achieving eternal rest. Was it possible that the ball wanted Kairi to follow? She did not know. All she knew was that this was something that happens once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Shaking off her fright from before, she walked up to the door the ghost ball went through and opened it slightly, poking her head through the crack before entering the hallway after the spirit.

Blackness covered Kairi's eyes, as she made her way down the dark halls of the mansion, following the light of the spirit orb that glided through the darkness of the hall like a firefly on a warm summer's night. Kairi stared down the hall, wondering where the ball was leading her. Was there something the ghost wanted to show her? She continued to follow, passing through various corridors until she came upon a strange metallic door. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was an elevator. She watched as the ghost ball floated through the chain doors. Suddenly to Kairi's amazement the metal gate slid open before her. She hesitated for a moment before tentatively stepping slowly onto the enclosed platform. As the metal gates closed shut, the ghost ball began to rise toward the ceiling as the elevator lifted Kairi up from the first floor. She gazed at the lights that passed by as she waited patiently for the elevator to stop.

After a few moments the chain doors slid open and Kairi stepped out of the platform, following the ghost ball down yet another dark hallway. She continued after the glowing orb, she looked further down the hall and saw to her surprise a lone door. The ball of light glided past the wooden door, leaving behind a small trace of smoky residue.

Kairi grabbed the knob of the door and turned it, she opened the door slowly as she peeked in. When she opened the door wider her cerulean eyes fell upon a somewhat narrow staircase that led upward toward what she surmised was the attic. She looked up to find the ball floating up the stairs, feeling that she was getting closer to the end of the journey she promptly followed. The wooden steps creaked under her feet as she climbed higher, her heart beating faster with every step closer to the dark attic.

Walking over the last step, Kairi stopped for a moment as she surveyed her surroundings. A heavy smell of dust and old fabrics hung all around her, looking eerily the same as the bunker from which Kairi came; she felt that one could actually smell the age of the mansion from here. Cobwebs covered almost every inch of the attic, draping over all the old trunks and chests like dark velvet sheets. Bringing herself out of her reverie, she looked around for the sphere of light, only to find the small wisp of smoke from behind a stack of old clothes.

"Wait!" She called, nearly tripping over several objects that were strewn on the floor.

She hurried after the spirit, ducking under cobwebs and climbing over boxes. She followed the dimming light until she reached the end of the attic where she was greeted by yet another painting. Kairi stopped and gazed at the painting; it was an oil portrait of a young woman with dark hair and caramel skin dressed in fine Victorian clothing. Was this woman the spirit who led Kairi to this attic? Kairi stared; she has seen this woman before.

The picture she was looking at was that of the young woman she and the others had met earlier, Sarah. Her mind was racing; how can this be? Was Sarah a wondering spirit from beyond the entire time? A cold shiver ran down her spine as she continued to gaze at the woman's face.

_Wait until I tell the boys! _She thought to herself, her heart pounding in her chest.

She turned around to leave but stopped abruptly and gasped. She was suddenly blocked by what appeared to be two people, a man whose head was nearly bald all around and a woman dressed in maid's clothing.

"You can't be here!" the old man said as he reached out for Kairi.

Kairi gasped as she backed away from the two strangers. Who were these people and what did they want with her? They were coming closer, there was nowhere to run; she could only watch in horror as the man's outstretched hand drew closer to her. She quickly summoned her keyblade and held it protectively in front of her.

"Who are you?!" Kairi demanded.

"Oh, stop that Ezra, you're scaring her!" the woman scolded as she gave the man a sharp slap on the hand.

The man let out a small yelp, "Hey! What did you do that for Emma?" said the old man, looking quite flustered.

"Well apparently you're scaring the living daylights out of this poor girl," said the one called Emma. "I'm not scaring anyone!" Ezra objected. Emma folded her arms. "You don't have to be so rude!" she said angrily.

"What? All I'm saying is that maybe this isn't the time or the place for her to be wondering around," said the man named Ezra. Kairi lowered her keyblade, staring in bewilderment at the bickering couple. She was about to speak when they all heard approaching footsteps coming from the direction of the stairs, bringing Emma and Ezra's argument to an immediate halt.

They both froze, looking terrified. "You have to hide!" Ezra whispered insistently before Emma grabbed Kairi by the hand and pulled her away from the painting. "Wait-What's going on?!" Kairi said as she tried to pry herself out of the old maid's grasp. "Shush! Keep your voice down," Emma hissed, "There's no time to explain, we can't let him find you up here!"

Before Kairi could inquire any further, she was led to a nearby pile of boxes. "Stay out of sight." Emma whispered before promptly leaving. Curious about the current situation, Kairi did as she was told; she knelt down to the floor, trying to peer over the boxes that hid her from view.

"Our young guests seem to have disappeared."

Kairi blinked, she knew that voice. _Ramsley?_

"Have you seen them?"

Kairi quietly shifted her position and finally managed to find a crack between two boxes. She brought her eye to the crack and saw the stoic, white-haired form of Ramsley in the semidarkness.

"No sir, we didn't see anyone leave the rooms." Emma replied in answer to the old butler's question.

"And you're quite certain of this are you?" Ramsley asked, staring at the man and woman intently.

Ezra swallowed hard. "Yes, we are." he replied nervously.

"I see…," said Ramsley contemplatively, "Then I trust you know what must be done."

Both Emma and Ezra nodded solemnly.

"If you find the outsiders bring them to me," Ramsley instructed, "The master is with Sarah now, we cannot let them stand in the way of the resurrection. I will not forgive any mistakes."

"Yes sir," said Emma and Ezra in unison as Ramsley turned around and slowly walked back the way he came, lightning flashing through the windows as he disappeared within the darkness.

Kairi blinked, what did Ramsley mean by resurrection and what does Sarah have to do with this? This was all unnerving to Kairi; there was no denying that whatever these people were up to it could not be good. She had to get to the bottom of this, for Sarah's sake as well as hers and Sora and Riku's; she just hoped that Ramsley does not find them.

**S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 END OF CHAPTER**


	12. Secrets

Riku emerged from the bathroom, his face sickly pale and moist with sweat. He sat on the bed as he made a mental note to ask Kairi for another batch of the potion she had given him on the gummi ship. It took Riku a few moments to realize that Sora was no longer in the room with him. He blinked as he looked toward the door, it was still open, which was rather strange since it was the job of the butler to close the door after he leaves a room for the guests' privacy. He stood up and slowly walked through the open door while looking around in the hallway. His eyes darted to the end of the hallway. Standing there was a woman heavily clothed in a ghostly white dress. She gazed at Riku through her veil, smiling softly as she turned and to his amazement walked through the wall, disappearing completely from view.

Riku was stunned; he blinked his eyes several times to make sure that he was not seeing things. _Did she just--? _Riku shook his head. Now was not the time to get caught up in the paranormal. He walked down to Kairi's room to find the door wide open with Kairi nowhere in sight. Riku quickly turned around and went to another one of the doors that he hoped contained the spiky-haired keyblade bearer. "Sora, Kairi's gone!" he said loudly while pounding his fist against the hardwood door. He waited for a moment and knocked again, "Sora, are you there?" No one answered. Riku felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Something was really wrong with this mansion; he could feel it in his bones. Turning away from the door, he began to stride down the hall when suddenly all the lights that lit up the hallway went out, casting Riku in complete blackness. The foul smell of darkness filled Riku's nostrils, making his head spin. He looked up to see several pairs of glowing, yellow eyes appearing in clumps in the blackness around him.

Riku quickly summoned his keyblade, his body poised for attack. The black figures of the Shadow Heartless clambered their way toward the silver-haired teen, but were soon knocked back by the force of the keyblade he held. Riku swung his blade, slicing through the darkness as he released every captive heart from the faded bodies of the Heartless. One by one he vanquished the creatures of darkness with every swing but the more Heartless he defeated the greater their numbers grew. Heartless kept rising from out of the darkness and materializing out of thin air one after another, relentlessly attacking, hungry for his heart. Riku continued attacking the Heartless, but soon grew tired from the unrelenting attack from the creatures of the dark.

Panting heavily, Riku stepped back away from the hundreds of Heartless that closed in on him. There were too many of them, he knew he could not defeat them all alone. Thinking fast, Riku quickly reached into his pocket and grabbed the summoning charm; he raised the hand that held the charm toward the ceiling.

"Stitch!" he called out. In a bright flash of light, the small, blue experiment materialized from the charm, his four hands clutching his round, yellow guns.

"Eh! Yeah! Yeah!" the alien cried in excitement as he began firing at the oncoming Heartless. Riku proceeded with his attack, releasing a barrage of _dark_ _firaga_ blasts all around him and his ally. Each and every one of the Heartless faded into smoke from each blast of the double attack. Stitch laughed as he shot down the foul creatures with deadly accuracy while Riku maintained his focus, making sure not to miss a single target. As the deadly attack continued, the Heartless then began retreating back to the darkness from whence they came. When the last Heartless disappeared, the hallway lights instantly flickered back on, illuminating the hallway once more. The alien looked up at the silver-haired teen, a look of excitement on his face. "Riku, Riku!" the little blue creature cried happily before tackling the silver-haired teen to the floor. Groaning from the pain in his back, Riku grimaced when he felt the experiment's large, slimy tongue graze across his face.

"Heh… Nice to see you too," he smiled, wiping away the saliva from his face. Stitch laughed as he rolled himself into a ball and began bouncing off the papered walls. Riku grinned; apparently the little blue experiment was more than happy to be released from the confines of the charm in which he was forced into. Stitch continued his rolling rampage when suddenly a voice rang out from down the hallway. "Do you mind?! Some of us are trying to sleep here!" Stitch instantly stopped bouncing as both he and Riku turned to find a pale, transparent figure of an elderly man with a prominent mustache and thick eyebrows in striped pajamas glaring at them.

At first Riku said nothing as he continued to stare in disbelief at the grey spirit. The grouchy ghost furrowed his bushy eyebrows, completely obscuring his eyes. "What are you staring at?" he demanded.

"S-Sorry..." Riku replied quickly, averting the grumpy ghost's dirty look. In a dignified huff, the old man disappeared within the wall, leaving a small wisp of smoke behind. Riku and Stitch glanced at each other. "Let's get out of here." Riku said as he promptly began walking down the hall, the little blue experiment creeping alongside him. He continued through the hall, traveling quickly down the staircase. He looked around for his two friends, seeing only the cobwebs that hung on the walls and dusty furniture. He couldn't help but worry for his friends; they were in a world that was brimming with darkness, there was no telling what dangers Sora and Kairi could be faced with. His thoughts were interrupted by a crash from behind him. He turned around sharply, facing the red drapes that obscured the entrance to the library.

He swiftly pulled the curtain aside, revealing a large room. Riku's eyes swept around the richly elegant study, the room was glowing with an iridescent orange light that flickered from a magnificent fireplace next to where Riku stood. The study was filled with a wide assortment of antiques and objects only a person of Edward Gracey's stature can afford. Exotic animals were stuffed and mounted on the walls, a full suit of samurai armor stood on one side of the room, mounted in a defensive position with a glistening blade held in nonexistent hands. As Riku marveled at the objects his eyes had not seen, he heard the sound of small feet scuffling along the floor. His eyes darted to the floor; then a few feet from where he stood, he saw the form of experiment 626, sitting amidst a stack of books bundled together near a spiraling, iron staircase, grabbing and tossing one book after another with a contemptuous grunt. Riku looked around once more and saw shattered pieces of what was left of a small sculpture.

Seeing the mess of rubble on the floor, Riku sighed heavily and shook his head, "I take my eyes off him for one second and he's already destroyed something expensive," he muttered.

He made his way to the little blue alien, who blindly tossed another book over his shoulder and immediately seized another volume.

"Come on," Riku beckoned, "We gotta find my friends and get out of here." The alien made no sign that he heard the sixteen-year-old as he tossed another thick novel over his shoulder. Riku quickly moved sideways as the hard-cover book flew past his ear and knocked over a vial of clear liquid onto the floor with a small crash. "Hey, knock it off or you'll get us both in trouble!" he hissed. Stitch grunted indifferently as he threw yet another book, this time it made contact with a small bust that sat atop a polished wooden desk, separating the head of the small statue from its neck. Before Riku could scold the mischievous alien for damaging the white bust, he heard a low rumbling from somewhere in the room. He looked up and saw that the bookcase across from where he stood was sliding sideways, revealing a winding stone passageway. Stitch crawled over to Riku's side, peering over at the corridor that was hidden from view not a moment ago.

Riku looked again at the bust, gazing at it closely. He saw that the statue's head was hinged to the neck; he then realized that the head of the statue must have been some kind of switch. He looked over at the ominous passage between the bookshelves; though he knew it wasn't unusual for houses like this to contain passageways and hidden corridors in case of an impending attack, he felt a strange feeling of uneasiness come over him as he stared into the darkness within the gap in the bookcase. He sensed something lingering in the air, a chilling warning of hidden dangers unknown, of horrors that took place within this very room. Not wanting to distract himself any further, Riku shrugged off his uneasiness and made his way toward the open passage; he suddenly stopped and turned around to find Stitch peering over at him from behind the wooden desk near the fireplace. He could sense that the alien was afraid; not that he could blame him, there was an ominous force at work that was beyond comprehension inside this very mansion. "You're going to have to sit this one out," he said as he pulled out the ukulele charm from his pocket. In a flash of light, little blue creature vanished, returning to the mystical relic until he is called again. Riku stuffed the charm in his pocket, looking around before entering the secret passage.

He blinked as he tried to adjust his eyes to the darkness that surrounded him. Not wanting to stumble into any potential traps, he closed his eyes and in an instant, a dark blue flame materialized within the palm of his hand, illuminating the spiraling stairs before him. He then proceeded up the stairs, holding his cerulean flame high to light the way. He climbed the steps until he came upon at what appeared to be a blank wall. _A dead end..?_ He gazed closely at it, running his free hand carefully over the wall. The texture was strangely smooth, it felt almost like paper. He pressed his hand against the strange surface; the wall suddenly gave way, creating a small opening in the corner. Through the crack, Riku could see a pale, orange glow of candlelight. Taking the initiative, he opened the door a little wider, poking his head through the opening as he looked around. He was looking down yet another hallway; on the left side of the hall was a spherical window and on to the right were several oil paintings hung on the wall. Riku stepped down onto the carpet, looking up at the door behind him to find that he was gazing not at a door, but at a large oil portrait of a tall man with short, dark hair and red sunken eyes that stared drearily into the hall. Riku closed the secret entrance firmly before continuing his way down the dim hall, keeping the blue fire aflame in his hand. Walking slowly, he looked up at the oil portraits as he passed through the shadows of the hall. He stopped when he heard a strange sound coming from ahead of him; it sounded like deep, heavy breathing.

Cautiously, Riku inched further down the hall, listening closely for the source of the sound as he summoned his blade and extinguished the blue flame in his hand. He paused when he reached a corner, the breathing sound growing louder. He tightened his grip on his weapon before he leapt out of his hiding place and rolled onto his knees, ready to strike. He looked up expecting to see the face of his gruesome enemy only to find the hall empty except for a wooden door at the end of the hall. Riku frowned as he slowly rose to his feet, gazing at the expertly-carved door. He was still for a moment, looking around for any signs of movement. Then he heard the strange noise again, it was louder than ever. Riku looked around frantically for the source of the startling sound until his eyes fell upon a most unusual sight. The door to the end of the hall appeared to be stretching outward and inward as if something was pushing against it on the other side. Riku stared, amazed by the strange phenomenon. _It_'s…_breathing, _he thought as he inched closer to the door. He slowly reached out for the doorknob as he held his keyblade tightly in his hand, preparing for the worst.

He held his breath as he slowly opened the door. He found himself in a strange room that was pitch black, as if neither floor nor ceiling existed; in the center of the room was a mysterious, bright light that shined down from above by an unknown source. Under the white light stood a mirror framed by silk white cloths on each side. Riku felt a cold shiver when his eyes fell upon his reflection in the dark mirror. He gazed at himself in the mirror, watching as his pale face stared back at him. He was about to turn and leave when suddenly the door he came through slammed shut behind him. Riku turned around sharply as he readied his blade. He looked around frantically for any possible enemies, seeing nothing but the deep blackness that surrounded him.

He turned a full circle when something caught his eye; he looked back at the mirror and gasped. In the mirror where Riku's reflection once stood was a hideous, black creature that floated ominously behind a shadowy figure that stood at Riku's height, leering at the silver-haired teen through narrow, crimson eyes. Riku stood motionless, staring at the dark figures in the mirror with wide eyes. "What—is this?!" he breathed. He slowly raised his hand and moved it from side to side, watching in shock as the dark image in the mirror copied the action simultaneously; the shadow then stretched and morphed into the form of Riku, its ashy skin glowing with red symbols on its face and bare arms.

Then, to Riku's astonishment, the shadow spoke. _"What's wrong, afraid of your own shadow?"_ it sneered, its voice distorted.

Riku glared at his dark reflection, "I'm not afraid of you!" he snapped.

His reflection smiled maliciously, _"You can't outrun your fear." _Riku was thrown by the statement for a moment, but he shook it off and glared at the mirror. The dark doppelganger slowly held out his arms. Bracing himself, Riku watched carefully as something began to appear within the evil twin's arms, it appeared to be a bundle of white cloth. "What's…?" Riku then heard a sound that made his heart cringe, it was low at first then slowly it grew louder. It sounded like high pitched crying… a baby's cry. Riku felt as if his feet weighed a ton. He gazed at the small bundle within the doppelganger's arms, his heart pounding in his chest. He clapped his hands over his ears as the crying sound grew painfully louder, sounding as if it was coming from all around him.

_No… It's not real, it's not real…_ he thought over and over as he tried desperately to force the noise from his mind, hearing only the sound of the stranger's maniacal laughter in sequence with the baby's wails.

His head throbbed as the noises continued relentlessly. He looked up to find his dark reflection holding his enormous blade in his free hand, the symbols ablaze in a fire. Riku's eyes widened in horror when the dark teen brought the weapon to the bundle of cloth he held in the crook of his arm, then suddenly raised the sword and brought it toward the small bundle with a downward thrust. "NOO!" Riku screamed. In a flash of rage, he threw his keyblade at the mirror, making it shatter with an earsplitting crash. The room fell silent once more, leaving only the sound of the wind blowing through the curtains on the sides of the broken mirror. Riku remained glued to the spot, breathing heavily as bits of shattered, reflective glass rained down onto the floor.

"What…was that?" he pondered as he gazed at the mess of glass on the floor, seeing only himself within the reflection of the mirror shards. A sick feeling came over him once more, crawling up his back to his chest. Although he knew that the boy in the mirror was nothing but an illusion, he still felt a strong uneasiness churning inside him. He stood there in silence, the sound of the doppelganger's words echoing in his mind over and over again. _You can't outrun your fear._ Though in his heart he knew exactly what the boy in the mirror was implying, his mind refused to acknowledge it. He had more important things to worry about than his fears, whatever they may be.

Sora continued blindly down the hallway, walking slowly along the dark and narrow this passage led he didn't know, all he could think about was to keep moving forward, eager to reach the end, listening to the steps of his two moving feet. He took ten more steps before finally stopping. Sora found himself in a wide, circular room; the walls lined with tall pillars and candles burning with an orange flame but no windows or doors.

"A dead end," said Sora, a bit disappointed. He turned around to go back the way he came when he stopped abruptly and gasped. He expected to see the narrow passageway he had traversed, but to his horror saw only a blank wall. "Huh? What the--?!" Sora uttered his blue eyes wide in bewilderment as he gazed at the bare wall. "W-Where's the—where's the door?!" he exclaimed as he looked around the circular room. "Which way did I come in?!"

Sora pounded his fists against the wall in the hopes that there was some kind of switch hidden beneath the walls that could open a door. Suddenly he felt a strange sensation coming from all around him, and then he heard a noise. Sora spun around on the spot, "Who's there?" he called, receiving only silence in reply. His eyes scanned through the empty room, seeing nothing but the illustrious glow of the candles on the wall. Then he heard the noise again, louder this time, the sound of screechy laughter. "Show yourself!" Sora demanded as he summoned his keyblade and assumed his fighting stance. After Sora uttered these words, blue flames flickered to life on the candles, dimming the room.

Suddenly a group of mysterious figures materialized all around him. His eyes widened; Sora was surrounded by strange floating creatures in white, raggedy sheets with black, scabby arms protruding from the sides ending in long claw-like fingers that hung down limply from both hands. On each of their heads was a single, jagged antenna; dangling from the appendage was a large golden bell. Though Sora had never seen creatures the likes of these before, he instantly recognized the red and black emblem emblazoned across each of these creatures white sheets. "Heartless!" Sora breathed. He had forgotten that these monsters were the reason he was here, but all the same, he was not going to let them take hold of this world.

With a burst of energy, Sora sprinted forward, attacking the nearby enemies. As he struck down the new Heartless the golden bells above their heads began to jingle furiously. Suddenly the candles that lit up the circular room were blown out, darkening the room once more. Trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness, he could see a blue luminous glow emanating from beneath the ragged sheets of the Heartless, seeing two glowing round eyes and jagged mouths slightly open in a crazed smile. The spectral creatures began to circle around the keyblade bearer, yellow eyes leering at him through torn openings on the sheets. Sora continued his attack, knocking several Heartless down to the floor hard, causing each of them to explode into clouds of darkness, releasing the hearts they have taken. One of the new enemies suddenly rushed forward, spinning rapidly with its arms outstretched in a windmill fashion, but Sora spun right around and swung his blade hard, sending the Heartless flying across the room before continuing his attack on the other creatures. The last of the Heartless having been defeated, Sora stood within the blackness, straining his eyes as he searched for more Heartless.

Suddenly he heard approaching footsteps coming from behind; he immediately swung his keyblade toward the sound, hitting something that sounded like metal. Sora attacked again only to have his blade blocked by the strange metallic object.

"Sora, it's me!" said a familiar voice.

Sora blinked, "…Riku?"

In a flash, the flames of the candles sparked back to life once more, bathing the entire room with an ember-colored light. Sora looked up to find Riku, his dark keyblade still pressed against Sora's kingdom key. Both boys lowered their weapons. "Well, now we know there _are _Heartless here." Riku said contemplatively as his weapon faded from his hand.

"How did you get in here? The doors all disappeared when I came in." Sora said deeply confused.

"I found a secret passageway in the library, and somehow ended up here," the silver-haired teen explained briefly, turning around to find a blank wall where the door he came through once stood. "No going back now."

"I'm glad you're okay," Sora said happy to see his friend in one piece. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Riku replied solemnly, "where's Kairi? I thought she was with you." Sora looked taken aback for a moment, "Huh..? N-No, I thought she was still in her room. You mean she's gone!?" he asked looking horrified. Riku looked around, searching for a way out of the empty room.

"We gotta find her and get out of here, this place is evil." Suddenly they heard a creaking sound coming from one side of the room. They both turned to find a single open door, a dim light illuminating a flight of stairs leading upward. Sora and Riku gazed at the door, a look of bewilderment on their faces.

"Man…this place just get's weirder and weirder…," commented Sora.

Up in the attic, Kairi sat patiently atop a dusty, old trunk, listening carefully as both Emma and Ezra explained everything about the mansion and what was going on. The princess of heart learned that not only was the mansion indeed haunted, it was cursed and Emma and Ezra along with everyone else in the elegant estate were actually spirits trapped in the house by the foul curse. After they finished, Kairi remained silent as she frowned contemplatively, trying to piece together Emma and Ezra's story.

"Well… there you have it," said Emma, shifting nervously on the spot. "How long have you all been here?" Kairi asked.

"It's been a hundred and twenty-two years since the black curse fell on this house," Ezra replied. Emma nodded, "a hundred and twenty-two years since she died…" Kairi looked back at the portrait of the young woman who resembled Sarah. "Who was she..?" Emma stood up and turned to the painting. "Her name was Elizabeth. She was our friend..," she said sadly, "We loved her." After hearing his wife speak, Ezra rolled his eyes as he let out an exasperated sigh.

Emma turned around sharply to face her husband, "Oh, you loved her too you insensitive toad!" she exclaimed angrily.

"N-Now I never said that I didn't!" Ezra said defiantly, "I-I-I respected her certainly, she was an interesting conversationalist; she had a certain wit, yes; and…an unspoken…charm…" The elderly man suddenly burst into tears as he sank down upon an old armchair, sobbing into his handkerchief.

"I'm so sorry..," said Kairi sympathetically. Emma shook her head as Ezra's sobbing continued. "The curse will only break once she and the master are reunited again." Ezra cleared his throat as he promptly wiped his face and stuffed his now moist cloth into his coat pocket before saying "That's right, so n-now is not the time to get all sentimental; she's back, and now the curse will finally be lifted! You see, everything works out in the end, sometimes you just have to wait a century or two." Kairi turned to Ezra, "Wait, but how do you know if it's really her?" "We're not sure," Emma answered. Ezra looked up at his wife. "What do you mean we're not sure? Of course it's her, it has to be!" "Well, what if it's not her? Did you ever think of that?" Emma countered.

"It's not for us to question," Ezra said matter-of-factly, "the master—," Ezra fell silent as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed throughout the attic. "Hide!" Emma whispered urgently to Kairi, who quickly stood up but stopped and turned to the stairs. Her eyes widened when she saw two familiar figures ascending the steps.

"Sora, Riku!" She exclaimed happily as she rushed to meet them. "Kairi, there you are!" Sora said deeply relieved to see that she was alright. "We were really worried," he paused for a moment when he saw the elderly couple in the far side of the room, "What's going on? Who're they?"

"Well…for starters…" Emma began, smiling apologetically as she took a few steps back.

"What are you doing!?" Ezra exclaimed, watching in shock as his wife began to lift up from the floor and into the air toward the tall glass ceiling, her body turning wispy and transparent. Everyone stared in awe as the maid floated up to the ceiling, waving her hand in greeting as she began to float back down towards them.

"Y-You're—you're a--!" Sora sputtered, gaping at the floating maid with wide eyes.

"Ghost," finished Emma, "it's okay, you can say it," she said, ruffling her apron as she settled herself back onto her feet.

Riku blinked; so everyone in the mansion was a ghost, it made sense given the spirit woman he saw earlier in the hallway. He then thought of Edward, the owner of the mansion; could he be a spirit haunting the grand estate also? After Kairi introduced Emma and Ezra, she then told Riku and Sora about the spirit ball that led her to the attic, and of the curse that plagued the mansion. The two keyblade bearers were silent for a moment. "So… what you're saying is that Sarah is really Elizabeth and she was brought here so that she and Mr. Gracey could be together again and lift the curse?" Riku asked, folding his arms in contemplation. "Yes." Kairi replied nodding. "We've waited for so long for her to come back but...," Emma began but was cut off by Ezra, who quickly stood up from his seat, "_But_, now that she's back, there's no need for you to be here so you could all just go back to wherever it is you came from!" he said rather testily.

"But we don't know if it's really her!" Emma said defiantly. "It's not our place to question it!" Ezra snapped, "The curse will be broken, but we leave it to the master!" he said before turning toward the two boys and adding "remember this when you get married some day boys, 'till death do you part?' _I wish!_ You never part!"

"Hold it; you're saying that Sarah might _not_ be Elizabeth?" Sora said before the verbal argument could escalate. "It is her!" Ezra said fervently. "You don't know that;" Riku interjected, "think about it, if she truly is who you say she is, then why was she gone all these years? Why didn't she come back before?" "That's none of your business, now go on and get out of here!" Ezra said in frustration. "Please," Kairi pleaded, "we just want to help you." "We don't need anyone's help; we're perfectly capable of working it out ourselves," Ezra replied, averting Kairi's gaze.

"Hold on," Sora said taking a step forward, "Isn't there some way we can tell if it's Elizabeth or not? Someone around here has to know something." Both Emma and Ezra were silent for a moment before turning their gaze to the spiky-haired teen. "There's a gypsy who resides here in the mansion." Ezra replied.

"Her name is Madame Leota." Emma added, "She was the one who foresaw Elizabeth's return; she'll know what to do." Sora nodded, "Okay, we'll go and find Madame Leota and straighten this out. So where can we find her?" "Hold on now," Ezra said as he made his way to the stairs leading out of the attic. "Emma and I will lead the way, you three will just get lost and then we'll never get to the bottom of this."

Terrified screams echoed throughout the corridors of Ansem's Castle; people were running in all directions, trampling over each other as they scrambled through the crowded halls. Toward the entrance to the corridor stood Aerith and Yuffie, weapons gripped tightly in their hands as they braced the entryway that was now brimming with monstrous beasts that were pushing past each other to get through the tight door. Yuffie threw a handful of ninja stars at the approaching monsters while Aerith followed up with a _firaga_ blast, then they both jumped back as the dark creatures began to furiously lash at them, their razor jaws snapping as they squeezed through the entryway.

"There's too many of them!" exclaimed Aerith as she and Yuffie stepped away from the snarling hounds. "Where's Leon when you need him?!" said the young ninja in frustration.

The girls prepared to attack once more when the beastly canines suddenly uttered a bone-chilling screech before bursting into misty blackness. "Whoa, what just happened?" asked Yuffie as she and Aerith lowered their weapons and stared into the dark mist that swirled where the monsters once stood; as they peered through the smoky mist, they heard approaching footsteps. Their eyes wide, they watched as the tall form of a man emerged from the beneath the black fog.

"Leon!" Yuffie exclaimed happily. "You're okay," Aerith said with a smile. "Looks like I made it just in time," said Leon as he lowered his gunblade.

"Where've you been? We were worried sick!" said Yuffie. "Where's Merlin? Is he here?" Leon asked coolly.

"He's in Ansem's study," Aerith replied. Without a word, Leon ran past them and down the now empty corridors. "Whoa! Leon, what's going on?" Yuffie asked, watching as he continued his run down the hall, "Hey, I'm talking to you!" she exclaimed indignantly as she started after the man. Aerith turned and pointed her staff to the entrance. A bright flash of light lit up around the opening, creating a glassy barrier before turning around and leaving for the study with Yuffie and Leon. After pushing past crowds of people that filled the corridors, Leon finally made it to Ansem's study as Yuffie trailed along behind him while Aerith stayed behind to try and console the frightened citizens. Leon entered the room to find Merlin standing next to a tower of books that were piled high on top of the desk while avidly reading one of Ansem's books. "Oh, back so soon ladies? And how are the citizens, alright I hope?" said the old wizard without lifting his eyes from book.

"Merlin, Leon's back!" Yuffie exclaimed from the doorway. Merlin let out a small gasp as he looked up at the man, "Oh my..! Leon, thank goodness you're alright! We were all worried about you."

"So I've heard," said Leon as he turned toward Yuffie. Merlin sighed, "Well, you're safe and that's what matters," he said with a smile.

"So what's going on?" Yuffie asked, "You look like you just got out of an explosion." "It could have been a lot worse," Leon pointed out, "If Sora and his friends never found me, I probably wouldn't be here."

Yuffie and Merlin exchanged looks before turning back to Leon. "Sora's here?" Yuffie asked looking back at the hall. "Probably here to try and clear up this shroud of darkness we're all under," said Merlin.

"Right," Leon replied before briefly explaining the current situation to them along with the keyblade bearers' mission. Merlin frowned, "Lumen Stones you say..?" Leon nodded, "Sora said that Ansem was studying them before he began researching the heart. Do you know anything about them?" Yuffie shook her head, "Nope, sorry." Merlin brought his gaze to the floor as he thought hard about what Leon had just told them. "Lumen Stones… Hmm…I believe I did hear about those things some time ago. I don't remember where I heard about it exactly but it sounded almost like an old song or a poem." "How did it go?" asked Yuffie. Merlin stroked his long, white beard in contemplation. "Well... I can't say for certain, but from what I remember, it spoke of the stones and how they could only be awakened by the 'ancient Gatekeepers', or so it's been said." Leon blinked, "The Gatekeepers huh? I wonder what that's supposed to mean."

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's connected to these Lumen stones somehow." Everyone was silent for a moment. "Is Ansem's computer still running?" Leon asked. Merlin blinked in confusion before nodding, "Y-Yes it is, but I don't see--," Leon then sprinted toward the computer room before the sorcerer could finish his sentence. "There he goes again…" Yuffie said with an exasperated sigh. "Hold on now, what's all the rush?" Merlin asked as he headed after Leon, who said nothing as he went up to the large computer and immediately began to type away at the keyboard. Merlin entered the room as Yuffie followed. "What's up?" she asked. "If Ansem was studying these stones, the reports have to be in this computer somewhere," said Leon. He looked up at the screen to find several pictures of folders scattered around the enormous screen. He looked down at the keypad, punching the letters slowly. **'L-U-M-E-N S-T-O-N-E-S'**

He paused for a moment before pressing –ENTER-. He watched the screen as he waited for the computer's response; suddenly bold, red letters appeared on the screen as a female, disembodied voice spoke out from the computer. "FILE NOT FOUND." "Oh dear…" said Merlin shaking his head. Leon sighed heavily as he rubbed his forehead. "Now what?" he asked. Merlin frowned as he began to stroke his beard. "Hmm... perhaps something in Ansem's study could be of some help," he suggested. Leon nodded before exiting out of the room. Merlin looked up at the computer screen for a moment before following Leon and Yuffie out. As they all left the room a cloud of darkness streamed in through the keyboard and into the enormous monitor, causing the images on the screen to become fuzzy until the screen went blank.

Sora, Riku and Kairi walked slowly as they followed Emma and Ezra down a dimly lit hallway. "So, is this gypsy lady a ghost too?" asked Sora.

"Well…not exactly," Emma replied. Before Sora could question further Ezra spoke out from the front of the group. "We're here." A door opened before them, a strange light pouring out from the end of the hall. "This way," Ezra said curtly as he entered the door, Emma and the keyblade masters following close behind. As they neared the end of the hall, Riku heard what sounded like a female voice speaking faintly up ahead of them, growing louder as they came closer to the source of the light. They all soon found themselves in a well lit room that was decorated with colorful, sparkling drapes that hung from the walls that surrounded them. In the center of the room was a large crystal ball that sat atop a round table forged from some kind of metallic material.

Riku gazed at the green fog that swirled within the glassy sphere, it was almost hypnotic. After everyone filed into the room, Emma closed the door. "Okay, so where's the gypsy?" Riku asked as he looked around the room. "Right here," Emma replied as she looked down at the large glass ball. The teens watched in amazement as something began to form from within the ball. The green fog inside the ball swirled around until a dark mass appeared. The teens' eye's widened; inside the crystal ball was a woman's head, severed from her neck and body it floats weightlessly inside the glassy dome. On the woman's head was a mass of curls that framed her pale face, her hair appeared to have a tinge of red, though it was difficult to tell with the emerald-colored smog that swirled around her. "Whoa…" Sora breathed as he brought his face close to the glass ball, the bright green fog reflecting within his blue eyes.

"Are you…Madame Leota?" he asked. The head turned toward the spiky-haired teen, her dark eyes gazing at him. "Yes…Whom do you seek?" asked the green gypsy, her voice carrying on perfectly from inside the crystal ball. "Madame Leota…" Emma began nervously, "has our beloved Elizabeth finally returned to us? Is she really here?"

"Yes, she walks these halls," replied the gypsy. "I knew it, it is her!" Ezra exclaimed in excitement. "However…" Leota began, making everyone in the room look down at her, "things are not what they seem to be," "What do you mean?" Sora asked, "Edward and Elizabeth are together now so the curse should break in no-time." "A great darkness surrounds this house," said Madame Leota,"a terrible evil that hungers for the pure souls that wonder this mansion. Many dark secrets linger in these walls, secrets that hide in the darkness where the enemy waits."

"So what do we have to do?" Riku asked. "For the curse to be lifted the truth must be known," the gypsy replied, "and for the truth to be known you must have the key,"

"The key?" Sora said contemplatively as the keyblade appeared in his hand. "Yes…" said Leota, "The key is the answer to all."

Sora gazed at his keyblade for a moment, "Okay… but I'm still kinda lost. How is it supposed to reveal the truth?" "Go to the tomb under the great dead oak," Leota instructed, "and travel down deep under the ground and there you will find the truth that must be found, find the black crypt that bears no name or soon your fate will be the same."

After saying these words, the disembodied gypsy vanished within the green fog inside the crystal ball.

"Your fate will be the same..?'" Sora said confused.

"Well, we know we have to go to the cemetery in order to find this tomb, so we have to get to the cemetery without getting caught. Maybe we could get outside if we climb through the attic window…" Kairi said contemplatively.

"Well, no use standing around here," said Ezra as he opened a door.

"Wait, how are we supposed to get to the attic?" Riku asked, "There might not be a way back." Ezra turned to Riku, a smile spread across his face. "Who said anything about going back?"

****

**END OF CHAPTER**


	13. Heaven's Light

**Long time no see fellow readers! My deepest apologies for waiting so long to update this story. I hope this, and future chapters will help to make up for my long absence. Enjoy.**

* * *

Within the dense fog surrounding the outer perimeter of the mansion, the teens followed Emma and Ezra out of the mansion through a series of doors and secret passages. The old couple led them through the misty whiteness that blinded them to what appeared to be a rectangular carriage that to Riku's amazement was pulled by a skeletal horse that was standing as any live horse would do, waiting to fulfill its purpose. Sora stopped dead in his tracks, staring in awe at the skeletal creature that pulled the carriage.

"Come on now!" Ezra urged on as he climbed onto the driver's seat, "we must be quick if we're going to make it." Without hesitation, they quickly boarded the black Victorian carriage as the horse began to trot forward. "Hold on!" yelled Ezra from the front of the carriage as they sped off into the dense fog, completely shrouded in the white mist. The carriage rocked and shook violently as the wheels ran over the uneven path of dirt and rocks, causing the teens to bounce within the black coach. "W-whoa..!" Sora yelped as he began to teeter off the edge of the cart. Seeing this, Riku quickly grabbed him by the arm and with Kairi's help pulled him back into the coach. "Thanks," Sora sighed in relief. The teens made sure to plant all hands and knees firmly onto the carpet beneath them to prevent themselves from being tossed out into the fog, although it was nearly impossible. Riku held fast onto the wall of the ancient carriage as he looked out into the darkness, catching a glimpse of shadowy figures of headstones and statues as they passed within the clouds of white.

Suddenly from out of the fog came a strange sound, like the flapping of enormous wings. The teens carefully poked their heads out of the sides of the moving carriage and peered into the cloud that shrouded them, seeing only whiteness and the outlines of trees. Then they heard the sound again, this time it was closer. Riku looked up and saw to his surprise a strange shadowy form approaching silently from behind.

"Wh-wh-what is that?" Emma said fearfully. As the strange shadow came closer, Riku began to make out glowing yellow eyes and a pair of enormous wings. "Heads up guys, we've got company," he warned, summoning his keyblade immediately. Suddenly, the mist shrouding the shadow gave way to reveal something that made Emma shriek from the front of the cart. "It's a Heartless!" Kairi gasped. Riku was also astounded, but it was mostly by its appearance. Behind them was a monstrous creature with colossal wings and yellow leering eyes that shone brightly from each side of its massive skull, its dark shadowy body gleaming in the moonlight. The familiar crimson emblem embedded on its chest glowed with a menacing aura that was almost unlike any Heartless they have ever seen.

"Whoa…Look at the size of that thing!" Sora exclaimed with his eyes as wide as saucers.

"Go faster or we'll all be killed!" Emma screamed in fright. "Well…not _all _of us," Ezra said with a laugh before he immediately gave the reins a sharp snap, making the skeletal stallion quicken its pace across the foggy path. The Heartless monster gave out a guttural roar that made even the gravestones quake as it came closer to the old horse-drawn carriage. "Back off!" yelled Sora before he and Kairi unleashed a blast of fire from their keyblades right into the face of the Heartless, making it screech in pain before recoiling into the trees. "Nice shot," commented Riku, before leaning over the side of the carriage to find the giant Heartless pursuing them once again through the heavy fog.

"It's coming back!" Ezra yelled in fear as he began flapping the reins wildly from the front of the carriage. Riku's mind raced as the fog became thicker with each meter they traveled. The Heartless was gaining and it was almost impossible to see through this fog; however grim the situation appeared to be at least, Riku thought, they weren't _completely _helpless. "Try to keep this thing moving," Riku yelled to Ezra over the roar of the Heartless from behind them, "We'll hold him off!"

"Right..!" Ezra nodded before snapping the reins harder. The boney steed let out a whinny before speeding off faster than ever. "We're going to have to go topside for this," Riku said as he started to climb onto the side of the tumultuous coach. "Right behind you," came Sora's reply. "Be careful!" Kairi warned as the fog around them became thicker by the minute. Both boys hastily climbed as the carriage began to rock from side to side from the many bumps and dips on the road. With each flap of its massive wings the Heartless inched closer to the speeding carriage, its pale eyes gleaming through the impregnable whiteness. As soon as Sora and Riku reached the top of the black carriage they readied themselves for battle. They held their keyblades tightly as they waited for the Heartless to make an initial strike.

Suddenly the teens saw a bright flash of red emanating from within the face the deep white that surrounded them. It grew brighter and more intense until finally it was hurled from its unseen and sinister visage toward the moving carriage in a smoldering ball of fire. "Look out!" Kairi yelled but was instantly silenced as the fireball blasted a tombstone as they passed, making the carriage jolt from the force of the blast. Emma shrieked the carriage began to sway. Inside the carriage, Kairi silently recited a spell that surrounded them all in a cerulean light. When another crimson missile was launched at them, it was suddenly absorbed into the light that shielded them. Riku's eyes widened as the flames of the fireball quickly diminished all around them.

"What just happened?" he asked in awe. "It's a shield spell," Kairi explained hastily, "it won't work for long, so try to wrap it up!"

Riku nodded, "Alright, thanks."

Emma screamed when another blast came from beside them; the flare knocked the carriage several feet off the road, causing both boys riding at the top of the carriage to stumble. Riku tried to regain his balance but was soon thrown off the horse-drawn cart. "RIKU!" Sora exclaimed as he quickly grabbed Riku's hand while he clung to the edge of the rocking carriage. Ezra pulled hard on the reins, desperately trying to regain control as Riku floundered helplessly over the edge of the carriage with Sora clutching to the crown for dear life. Another fiery blast erupted from the gigantic Heartless, this time it was headed right for them. Emma became hysterical as the crimson inferno hurled closer. "What do we do?" she cried out as she covered both her eyes in terror. Just as the carriage finally managed to swerve back onto the dirt path both Sora and Riku were pulled back onto the top of the coach. They instantly assumed their stance as the fireball came upon them.

"Let's do it!" exclaimed Sora as he and Riku clashed their keyblades together. The blades began to spin in a clockwise formation; it spun faster and faster until they became a blur against the black of night. Then a large whirlwind erupted from the spinning keyblades, creating a large tornado that acted as a barrier against the raging inferno. As soon as the fiery sphere made contact with the wind blockade, it suddenly ricocheted off the cyclone and was sent back at the monstrous Heartless. The beast uttered a painful blood curdling screech as it recoiled into the trees. "Direct hit!" Sora said, punching the air triumphantly. While the carriage continued its fast pace through the ancient cemetery, Riku silently gazed on as the Heartless began to flail wildly in the distance, watching as it was slowly consumed by the flames of its own fire until nothing remained but smoke and clouds.

"Everyone alright back there?" Ezra shouted over the pounding of hooves against the cold ground. "We're all fine," Riku replied as he and Sora carefully climbed back into the carriage. "I think that's the last we'll see of him. How much longer..?"

"No need to wait now," replied Ezra slowly, "we're already here."

At that moment, the fog that once surrounded them suddenly cleared away from the main road, revealing a small clearing several feet away from them.

"I'm afraid that this is as far as we can go." Ezra said as the carriage came to a halt.

The teens slowly disembarked as their feet disappeared within the blanket of fog that covered the ground, shivering from the chill of the night on their skin.

"You three will have to continue on from here," said Ezra, his hands gripping the reins tightly while glancing nervously over his shoulder. "Be careful," Emma said apprehensively, "There's no telling what other dangers you may face." All three of the teens nodded. "Alright then," Ezra said, "but I still don't see why you would risk your life to help out a bunch of strangers." Riku looked up at him solemnly, "Let's just say that breaking your curse might help me to figure out how to break mine." Ezra gazed at him seriously for a moment before silently nodding. Emma said a quick goodbye before Ezra snapped the reins, the sound echoed sharply throughout the silence that hung heavily around them. The three teens watched as the Victorian carriage rode away into the blackness, the images of the old couple and the skeletal horse disappearing within the blanket of fog.

"Which way do we go now?" Sora asked while peering through the velvet blackness. Riku looked up at the luminous moon, watching the shapeless clouds drift idly past as the foul and familiar scent of darkness wafted through the dank and stale air. He gave the air a quick sniff. "This way," he said pointing in the direction where the smell was strongest unbeknownst to Sora and Kairi who gave Riku a puzzled look. "Are you sure?" Kairi asked, looking both confused and anxious. Riku started off into the misty darkness while Sora and Kairi followed, their weapons drawn in case of any attacks from enemies that might be hidden within the fog. They tracked along the dark trail through the white fog that obscured the path, peering through the darkness that surrounded them.

The sounds of flapping wings and the wind rustling through the trees filled the still graveyard; although it was not unusual, Riku still could not shake the feeling that something somewhere was waiting in the blackness, watching them with unblinking eyes as he and his friends drew closer to its clutches. He shook his head; the last thing he wanted was to become paranoid, then again with all that's happened over the past few weeks how could he not be, especially now that he knew exactly what they were up against? Brushing these thoughts aside, Riku pressed onward, the sickening odor of darkness growing stronger with every step. When the aroma became more than he could bear, he stopped for a moment and bent over slightly, his hands on his knees. "Riku..?" Kairi said, looking anxious. Riku said nothing, closing his eyes as he felt his stomach heave once again. "Are you okay?" Sora asked, watching Riku warily. He nodded silently as his stomach began to settle. He slowly straightened up, sighing heavily. "Here," Kairi said as she hastily rummaged through her pockets and took out another potion, the same one given to him on the gummi ship several hours earlier.

"What's that?" Sora asked, looking at the potion in her hands. "It's a potion I made," Kairi replied as she handed the potion to Riku, who thanked her before taking the cerulean potion, feeling the sickness vanish. "Feeling better now?" Sora asked, receiving a nod from Riku. "Yeah, thanks." Revitalized, Riku lead them on through the heavy darkness. Minutes went by in silence as the teens immersed themselves within the ocean of clouds. The fog grew thicker the further they went, so much so that it was nearly impossible to see the ground beneath their feet or the dark night sky above.

Suddenly from up ahead the teens heard a faint noise, it sounded like voices. They all stopped dead in their tracks. "Did you hear that?" Kairi asked softly while looking around apprehensively. Sora blinked, "Hear what?" Riku remained still as he strained his ears for the sound. At first he heard only the rustle of the trees above them, that's when he heard the sound again, it was faint but it was unmistakably a human voice. "Someone's out there," Riku said in a low voice. They all held their blades tightly as they inched forward, the voices within the white fog growing louder as they drew near. All of a sudden there sounded a shrill scream within the fog that both pierced the ominous silence and sent chills down the spines of the keyblade bearers.

"Someone's in trouble!" Sora said anxiously as he and the others rushed forward into the heavy fog, prepared to attack anything that moved. They ran until they came upon another clearing, they stopped and to their surprise saw a group of Specter Heartless circling around not one but three figures, a man and two children, were huddled together within the small clearing. Without a second thought, the teens charged. The instant their keyblades touched the dark creatures they instantaneously vanished in a wisp of black mist. In almost one swift motion, the ghoulish Heartless were slain.

When the dark mist cleared, the keyblades instantly disappeared from the hands of the keyblade bearers. "You guys okay?" asked Sora as he turned to the small group. The father straightened up when he saw no heartless around. "Yeah, thanks," he replied with a sigh. "What were those things?" asked one of the kids, a boy around ten years old. "Those are called Heartless," Kairi explained, "they come from the darkness of people's hearts."

"Wait," The girl interjected, "Who exactly are you guys?"

"The name's Sora," said the spiky-haired teen, "These are my friends, Kairi and Riku." Both teens nodded at the mention of their names. "I'm Megan," The girl began, "this is my brother Michael." The boy, looking more at ease than earlier, smiled in greeting. "And this is our dad," Megan concluded.

"Jim Evers," the man introduced, shaking each of their hands briefly. "You should leave while you can," Riku warned, "this place is crawling with monsters." "And ghosts," Sora added, watching a ghostly couple strolling by until they disappeared behind the trees. They all gazed around in awe as a multitude of spirits suddenly appeared throughout the large cemetery, their non-physical bodies dressed in Victorian clothing while glowing with a pale blue aura that almost gave them an eerie quality. Some of the ghosts lazily ambled about while others were perched atop tree branches and headstones. They all seemed to be unaware of their dreary nocturnal surroundings as they chatted away without a care, their voices a disembodied echo in the night.

"What are you doing out here?" Kairi asked, drawing their attention away from the ghostly creatures. "We're looking for our mom," Michael replied. The teen blinked, surprised by this. "You're mom..?" The father nodded. "Yeah, hang on just a sec," he said as he began to dig into his pockets, "I have a…photo here…somewhere…" The man then pulled out his wallet and folded it open to reveal a small family portrait. "That's her," he said as he held the picture up to their eyes. They all gazed at the small photograph, their eyes widening at the sight of Sarah within the portrait. "Sarah…"

"You know Sarah?" asked the man insistently, "What happened? Where is she?" The three teens then explained to the man everything that went on and what they had discovered during their brief stay at the haunted estate. "Whoa, hold up," said Jim Evers incredulously, "You're telling me that my wife is in a mansion with some dead guy who thinks she's Elizabeth's ghost and is trying to get with her?" All three teens nodded solemnly. "They said that the only way to break the curse is for Mr. Gracey to reunite with Elizabeth," Kairi explained, "But, they weren't sure if it's really her."

"That's because she isn't," interjected Jim fervently, "She can't be her. If this Elizabeth person did really die then why didn't she come back as a ghost like these other people did?" he asked as he gestured to the other spectral beings that floated about the headstones. "That's why we're here," Riku replied, "to find the answers to the riddle of Elizabeth's ghost."

Everyone fell silent as thoughts began to fill each of their minds. "We'll go too," Megan said abruptly. The teens looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"I don't know who you guys are," said Megan, "but…you saved us from those Heartless things. So, I guess you're okay." The three teens exchange nervous glances as the silence began to fill the night. "Let's go with them!" she insisted. Sora, Riku, and Kairi glanced at each other nervously as their father stepped forward, shaking his head. "Wait, wait, wait, Megan, how do we know if we can really trust these guys?"

"Come on dad," Megan replied insistently, "We could really use their help in saving mom; they know more about what's going on than we do." Michael nodded in agreement. "Yeah dad, besides they could protect us in case those things come back." Jim Evers said nothing as he gazed over at the young keyblade bearers. Sighing, he finally nodded. "Alright," he said, "let's do this." They all nodded in agreement. "It's settled then," Riku said, "We'll all go to the mausoleum, but stay close."

"That won't be a problem…" said Michael, looking around anxiously as he hurried along with the group, disappearing within the dense wall of fog. The teens trudged on through the gloomy bog for what felt like hours, the Evers family following along through the dank cemetery. "How much further?" asked Jim, growing impatient by the minute. "Not much now," answered Riku from the front of the group, silently smelling the air once more before adding "We're getting close." Michael let out a groan as his foot suddenly sank into a mud puddle. "I hope so…" he muttered as he pulled his foot out of the pool of mud. As they kept going forward through the dank graveyard, Jim slowed his pace, making sure he was out of earshot of the teens.

"I got a bad feeling about this," he said anxiously as he looked up at the trees and headstones, "we should just go back to the mansion, find your mother and get out of here while we still can." "We can't turn back now," Megan objected, keeping her voice low. "What if those Heartless things come back?" Michael said with a nervous look over his shoulder. "How can we expect a bunch of kids running around in the middle of a cemetery to help us?" asked Jim skeptically.

"_They_ can handle themselves," said Megan matter-of-factly, "it's _us_ I'm worried about."

Before they could take another step, Riku stopped abruptly from ahead of the group. "We're here." The group stopped and stared at a large stone structure that was covered in shadow. "I can't see anything…" Sora said as he peered closer into the fog. Suddenly from within the whiteness in front of them, there came a large burst of fire, making them all flinch back in surprise. The fog suddenly cleared, revealing the source of the fiery light. "Whoa…"

The mausoleum towered over the surrounding graves like a looming shadow; the building itself was covered with vines that were dry and brittle. On either side of the door were foreboding statues depicting men shrouded in dark cloaks, their faces completely hidden beneath the hood. In each of their stone-carved hands was a torch containing auburn flames, illuminating the entire mausoleum in an ominous orange light. The teens slowly approached the ancient monument, a cold shiver running through their spines. "Guys, look at this," Kairi suggested as she pointed to the door between the eerie statues. They inched closer to the decaying crypt; on the heavy door was something that appeared to be a sign with words written in a strange language. "It's a warning…" said Megan."A warning..?" Sora said, puzzled.

"You can read this..?" Kairi asked, looking up at the strange text. Megan nodded before turning to the door. "It says: 'Beware all who enter…'" she read slowly, peering at the letters before her, "…here lies a passage to the dead…'" A loud clap of thunder suddenly bellowed throughout cemetery, making everyone jump with fright as the sound diminished to a low rumble.

"Is it too late to go back..?" asked Michael fearfully, tightening his grip on the straps of his backpack.

"We have to go in," Riku said sternly "It's the only way to try to break this curse." Sora nodded in agreement, "Yeah, warning or no warning, we don't scare easily. You ready?" Jim nodded before he grabbed for one of the lit torches held by the hooded statues and removed it from its hand. "Okay…" he said, gazing warily at the fire he now held. The three teens made for the tombs entrance, grabbing the iron handle and pulling. The heavy door skidded against the stone floor as they dragged it open, the foul stench of darkness and decay drifting from within the dark crypt. The door now opened, they all peered inside; at first they saw nothing but cobwebs that hung from the ceiling. Upon closer inspection, within the darkness they could make out a set of stone stairs leading down underground.

"Alright," began Jim, "let's go. Megan you stay out here with Michael." "What? Why?" Megan asked indignantly.

"I don't want him out here by himself," Jim said, "You two stay close okay? I'll be right back." Michael nodded silently as Megan folded her arms. "Twenty minutes tops, right?" Jim nodded, "Twenty minutes tops." Both children watched as their father stepped through the thick door with Riku, Sora and Kairi following behind, traveling further until they were gone from sight.

They carefully walked down the spiraling staircase, the walls growing more brittle the further they went. They traveled in silence, the darkness growing heavier around them despite the light of the torch Jim held cautiously. Carefully they traversed the stone steps until the narrow hall then opened up to a large chamber. Swiping a spider web from his face, Riku carefully stepped off of the spiraling staircase, gazing all around the old subterranean grave. The smell of damp and rotting earth hung heavily all around them; dried vines and cobwebs clung to the rotting walls like gnarled hands and roots hung from what was supposed to be a ceiling like dark rain. The walls were littered with urns that seemed to cover every inch of the underground tomb. From below, Riku could see a body of green murky water surrounding a large podium, the grey silhouettes of old statues eroding from beneath the surface. In the center of the ancient crypt was a large podium that contained something that was hard to discern in the heavy darkness.

"Man…" Sora sighed as he gazed around at the clammy undercroft, "you can tell it's been a while since anyone's been down here." Jim made a sound that was almost similar to a laugh.

"Well, it's not exactly a theme park…" said Jim sullenly gazing around at the gloomy chamber."Okay, what are we looking for again..?"

"A black crypt with no name," Kairi replied. "What did this gypsy lady say was in the crypt?" asked Jim, lifting the torch higher to illuminate the walls.

"The truth…" said Riku, "so she says. The truth has to be known in order to break the curse."

They continued to gaze around at their surroundings when they heard footsteps coming from the stairs behind them. The teens stiffened, bracing themselves for attack. They watched the shadows as the footsteps became louder as the shadowing figure drew closer. Before they could act, they saw the petite form of Megan emerge from the shadows.

"Megan?" said the girl's father, gazing at her incredulously, "What are you doing down here? I told you to stay with Michael."

"I want to help you guys," Megan replied, "Besides, Michael's fine."

"Guys, come over here!" Kairi called from the mouth of the iron bridge. Everyone gathered around and followed Kairi's gaze. Upon the podium across the bridge was a coffin as black as night and without an inscription, just as the gypsy woman described. They slowly approached the dark crypt, watching for anything that could be waiting in the darkness to attack them as they all gathered around it. They were silent as they all gazed upon the ominous casket, apprehension written on their faces as the silence grew. "Well?" Megan interjected, making the rest of the group jolt. "Are we going open it or not?" The teens nodded as they made to push the lid of the coffin aside. Suddenly Riku stopped.

"Hold on," Riku exclaimed, making everyone freeze on the spot. "This isn't right."

"What do you mean..?" Sora asked, looking at Riku confusedly. Riku said nothing as he stared at the crypt suspiciously. "It just seems…a little suspicious," he said carefully, "Finding the crypt was too easy, it could be a trap."

"He's got a point," Jim said, looking nervous. "Maybe we should just leave it alone and get the heck out of here."

"We can't go back now," Megan retorted, "We're already down here, so might as well open it and see what's inside." "I don't know…" said Jim, looking down at the black coffin tentatively while taking a step back. Kairi paused as she gazed carefully at the casket. "You might be right about it being a trap…" she said contemplatively, "…but we don't have a choice. If we're going to break the curse and save Sarah, then we have to open it. It's the only way." Riku said nothing, she was right after all. Trap or not, it was all they could do to move forward. He could only hope that whatever was inside the black coffin was the key to breaking the curse and returning to the Radiant Garden.

Together they managed to shove the lid off of the casket, revealing the inside inch by inch until the cover completely slid off the coffin. They all stared into the casket, their eyes blinking in both shock and confusion. The interior of the crypt was mostly empty with the exception of cobwebs and dust that covered various items such as clothes and books. "This is it..?" Megan said, looking disappointed. "We came all this way for a pile of junk?" said Jim incredulously. Riku frowned, there was something amiss. Although he did not completely trust the gypsy woman that dwelled in the mansion, he felt that it was not likely that she would lie to them about something like this. It was true enough that the darkness covering this world was what added to the evil spell over the mansion; however he was not entirely convinced that it was the source of the curse. The darkness had to have come from somewhere or _someone_. If the truth was the key to the puzzle, then that meant that the one who brought about this curse wanted to keep the truth hidden, but from who and why? As these thoughts began to fill his mind, Riku saw a hint of red from underneath the dry leaves and dust. "Wait…" he said. Cautiously, he reached into the coffin and began to brush away the debris, the red object coming into full view.

"What is it?" Sora asked curiously looking over Riku's shoulder. The object was a flat, burgundy rectangle.

Riku blinked as he picked up the object, turning it over in his hands. "A letter..?" On the face of the envelope was an inscription that read 'Edward' in black ink. "Should we read it..?" Kairi asked, glancing over at the silver-haired teen hesitantly. He said nothing for a moment before finally opening the crimson envelope, revealing the worn letter inside. After carefully unfolding the ancient note, Riku glanced around at the others, their faces filled with anticipation as they all gazed at the letter in his hands. He took a breath then started reading, his eyes gliding over every word as he recited them verbally.

_My Dearest,_

_I have given much thought to our conversation in the garden where we then talked at great length about our 'secret'. _

_My dear, sweet Edward, you are only the good in the world around you. You give me strength to give you the answer you have worked for._

_Yes, my dear heart, I will marry you. I will love you for all eternity and tonight at last we will be together. I do!_

_Forever yours,  
Elizabeth._

Everyone fell into a gravely silence as Riku read the last words aloud.

"That's so beautiful…" Megan said fondly. However, as passionate as the note was, it left everyone else stunned and confused. "Wait…" Sora began, his eyes shifting back and forth in contemplation, "Elizabeth wanted to be with Edward, but then…why did she..?" Riku stared down at the weathered letter as thoughts began to rush into his mind. The circumstances behind the curse were indeed suspicious; if Elizabeth wanted more than anything to marry the Master of the Mansion, then why did she take her own life? He stood in silence as he speculated further. Suddenly a thought came to him that made his eyes widen. 'Unless…' he thought, 'someone didn't want this wedding to happen...' As he silently read over the letter in his hands, everything began to make sense. It was as if a light had suddenly come on within his dark consciousness.

"She didn't…" Riku said out loud, making everyone's eyes turn to him. "…she was killed." Everyone gasped in astonishment at the sudden assumption, their faces stricken with shock.

"Killed..?" said Sora, his eyes wide with fear. "But how..?"

"Who would do something so awful..?" Kairi asked in a hushed voice.

Before another word was said, Riku immediately began to detect the scent of darkness. _"Well done Keyblade Masters…"_

Everyone immediately turned around and saw to their surprise the statuesque form of the butler Ramsley standing on the iron bridge that connected the platform to the stairs.

"_Keyblade Masters_?" Megan said, looking over at the teens in confusion.

"I must admit, I underestimated the lot of you," Ramsley went on solemnly, "I must commend you on your persistence. I never would have thought that you would make it this far…alive." Riku frowned as the smell of darkness began to permeate the air around them, this time it was stronger than ever.

"Ramsley," He said with contempt, his stomach churning from the sickening odor of darkness. "I should've known that you were behind all this." Everyone remained in shocked silence as they continued to gaze at the old caretaker. "It was _you_…?" Sora asked, taking a step back, "But_…Why?_"

"Because," said the manservant, "the Master would not listen to reason. He had everything in the world and yet he was willing to throw it all away for the sake of love. I could not let that girl stand in the way of everything we have worked to achieve in life. Of course I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands…"

"So you _killed_ her..?" Jim said in both shock and horror, "That's real nice…"

"Any other rational man would have done the same for the sake of his household…" said Ramsley bluntly."If it is any consolation…The poison acted quickly. She felt no pain."

"You're a monster..!" Kairi said, glaring at the butler. "It was my responsibility to the house," Ramsley said without a hint of remorse, "Running away with that girl would have destroyed this house, it would have destroyed everything and I was not going to stand by and watch it all fall to ruin." Riku silently fumed; every fiber of his being wanted to lash out at the traitorous murderer, but he knew from experience that it was never wise to act without thinking. There was no telling exactly what this man was capable of and for some reason knowing that only made him more anxious. "You won't get away with this!" Sora exclaimed, "We're going to tell your Master what really happened!"

"The Master must never know," said Ramsley apathetically, "Once Edward is reunited with his love, this curse will be broken."

"That's not her, that's my wife!" Jim exclaimed, stepping out to the front of the group. "That hardly matters now," said Ramsley, "What is important is that the master's pain must end and it will end soon. The curse will be broken and we can all finally move on."

"Alright, I've had enough of this dead and undead nonsense!" said Jim Evers, his patience thinning. "Where's my wife?"

"Why, getting ready for her wedding of course…" said the butler, gazing intently at the group.

"Wedding..?" Kairi asked, looking bewildered. "How can he marry her when he's dead and she's still alive?" Riku asked. "It's quite simple..." said Ramsley in a foreboding tone, "She _can't._" A moment of silence followed with Jim shooting a dirty look at the phantom butler. "However," the old man went on, "that problem can be easily corrected. After all, _life_, you see, is such a delicate state…"

Jim rapidly rushed after the old man. "If you put one finger on my wife, I swear I'll-!" He swung his fist at the butler, gasping in horror when he felt his fist as well as his whole body, glide right through the man's face as if he were made of smoke, making him fall hard on the floor. "You've wasted enough of my time," said Ramsley as he stepped toward the fallen man. Megan suddenly ran forward, her body passing right through the disembodied butler before turning around sharply to face him.

"You leave him alone!" she yelled as she stood protectively over her father. "Megan, what are you doing?" Jim cried out worriedly.

The old butler leered down at the young girl for a moment. "Very well…" he said tersely before raising his hand, causing a cloud of darkness to erupt from beneath her feet. She quickly looked down and watched in horror as the dark cloud climbed rapidly up her body. "DAD!" she screamed, unable to move as the black haze completely encompassed the teenage girl.

"MEGAN!" yelled Jim. "Hold on!" Sora cried as he rushed to the girl only to arrive too late, both the dark cloud and Megan vanished before their eyes, her screams echoing around the hollow walls. "I would not worry about her," said Ramsley, "she and her brother are safe and sound within the mansion, for now…"

"You got Michael too..?" Jim asked, horrified.

"Let them GO!" Sora yelled as he and others charged forward, swinging their keyblades at the old man only to fail as Jim had done. Their weapons passed right through the man without as much as a dent. Seeing that it was useless, they leapt back, their weapons held tight as they glared at the phantom caretaker. "You're really going to fight a ghost..?" asked Ramsley in amusement, "I'm afraid that is impossible, seeing that I have no physical body. However, if it's a fight you want…" The teens watched apprehensively as Ramsley raised a single, gloved hand and sharply snapped his fingers, the sound reverberating throughout the silent mausoleum. Suddenly a group of phantom Heartless materialized instantaneously around the group, their yellow eyes glowing brightly from beneath the ragged white sheets with black gnarled arms dangling leisurely from their sides.

"Then perhaps this will placate your desires…for the moment…" said the old manservant before fading into a wisp of white smoke.

"Let's do it guys!" exclaimed Sora as he and the others readied their weapons, the phantom Heartless closing in around the teens in a circular formation. Jim quickly shuffled to the far end of the Mausoleum, watching in awe as the teens fought viciously with the sinister swarm that threatened them, one Heartless after another falling to the power of the keyblades they held. As the fight continued on, the numbers of the Heartless grew fewer until, after Sora quickly defeated the last one from above, nothing remained but dust that hung in the air from the previous struggle. "Wow…" Jim exclaimed as he rose to his feet, "That was…that was something else!" Sora smiled as Kairi nodded, frowning slightly in contemplation.

"He's the one who's been controlling the Heartless the whole time," she said thoughtfully. Sora nodded in agreement. "That means…" he said slowly, "he sent that giant dragon thing after us!"

Riku remained silent as he gazed all around the underground grave; he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was not right. That last attack, although somewhat challenging, was not what he expected. It was easy…_too_ easy. It was not until he sensed the aroma of darkness growing in strength that he realized that this battle was far from over. "Looks like the gypsy lady was wrong about this place," said Jim, looking relieved, "you guys took those things down no problem." Sora blinked. "Then…what did Madame Leota mean by 'your fate will be the same'?" Suddenly the still air thundered with a chorus of growls and snarls that began to fill the crypt, the walls and floors trembling as if with fright.

"I think we're about to find out," Riku said apprehensively as his blade materialized in his hand. The in-human sounds increased in volume as the vibrations in the ground became more forceful. Then without warning the crypts within the walls began to move. Readying their weapons, the teens watched in bewilderment as shadowy figures began to emerge from the coffins, crawling sluggishly to their feet. "Zombies!" screamed Jim as he quickly stepped behind the three teens, holding out the torch protectively.

More began to appear from beneath the floor and out of the body of green water around them, their rotting bones rattling and moaning from under the rags they wore. The teens watched in horror as the mob of animated corpses drew closer, their lifeless bodies dragging and limping toward them. Riku and Sora immediately began to take offensive action as Kairi made sure to protect the helpless man, swinging their weapons at the oncoming horde of zombies. The air instantly became filled with the sound of splashing water and screeches and growls as the teens fought off the zombie pack. Sora swung his blade at a nearby corpse, knocking its head clean off while Jim wrestled with another, whacking its head with its own severed arm. Riku cast the spell _dark firaga_ on a small group of gathering zombies, making them screech as they recoiled into the murky water beneath them. They fought on for several minutes; however as the battle continued, more and more of the lifeless monsters began to appear, tripling their numbers, much to the teens' dismay.

"There's too many of them!" cried Riku as he gave one zombie a hard kick to the ribs, sending it flying into the murky water below. "Let's get out here!" Kairi ordered as she and Sora made for the exit with Riku dragging Jim up the stairs by the arm, knocking several zombies over the bridge as they went. "Move it!" Sora grunted as he smacked a by standing zombie out of the way of the staircase. They rapidly climbed the stone steps up to the door, the raspy growls of the zombies coming up from behind. They suddenly burst through the doorway, the light of the torches blinding them for moment. Once out of the crypt, Riku quickly turned and threw his weight against the heavy door. Seeing this, Sora and Jim immediately rushed to his aid. They all pushed with all their strength as the door slowly began to close, the inhuman voices of the zombies growing louder by the second. "Hurry!" Sora yelled as he and the others pushed the door harder, making the door scape along the stone floor until it finally banged shut. Riku quickly pulled the lever of the door into the slot within the wall and locked it before quickly sprinting off with the others.

"Lock it!" he told Sora anxiously. With a quick nod, Sora once again summoned his keyblade and pointed it towards the heavy door to the ancient crypt where a keyhole appeared in a ray of light.

He closed his eyes as a brilliant light began to emanate from the key, glowing brightly until a stream of light shot out from the tip of the blade and into the keyhole. As the mystic keyhole dissipated there came a loud click, meaning that the door to the dark mausoleum was locked, sealing off the evil that dwelt within once and for all. "Alright," he said after his work was finished, "let's go." With a burst of speed, the teens along with Jim ran off into the night without looking back, the sounds of their footsteps echoing throughout the now silent graveyard.

* * *

Inside the gloomy estate, Edward had been showing Sarah all the wonders of the ancient mansion, all of which left her more and more fascinated by the minute. The tour ended in the ballroom, where they both stood in the center of the marble floor. "Sarah…do you believe that love is about second chances..?" asked the master of the mansion enigmatically, "About forgiveness..?"

"Yes," said Sarah with a gentle smile, "I do." They both fell into a brief moment of silence until Edward turned to her. "Don't you remember?" Sarah blinked, taken aback by the strange question. "Remember..?" She suddenly saw Edward almost change instantly, he seemed more desperate. "…Mr. Gracey, are you alright?"

"Don't you recognize me at all?" he asked ardently, gesturing his hands over his face. Sarah took a step back, anxiously gazing at the man. "Mr. Gracey…"

"I thought…bringing you back to Gracey Manor would help you remember!"

"Remember what Mr. Gracey?" said Sarah, her heart now filled with fear as she watched Edward, being careful to keep her distance. "Where it happened..!" Edward cried out as he rushed up to Sarah, grabbing both of her hands as he gazed into her eyes for any sign of recall. "Where we spent our last moments together, when we danced together for the last time before you…" he paused as tears threatened to spill from his eyes before saying fervently "Before you killed yourself!" Suddenly, white, smoky figures of men and women appeared around the pair, all of them dressed in Victorian clothing and wearing masquerade masks. Silently they all waltzed within the great ballroom, carrying on as if time had not stopped. "But now you've returned to me," continued the master of the mansion eagerly, "and at long last we could be together!" Sarah remained frozen, looking around at the wispy forms of the dancing spirits in bewilderment.

"Why do you not remember?" asked Edward vehemently, "You are my world, my life! And I loved you in death as I did in life!" Frightened, Sarah gazed at all the pale faces that passed her by, some actually passing right through her as they waltzed, heedless of her presence. "LET ME GO!" she yelled as she yanked herself from Edward's grasp and quickly ran out of the ballroom, his desperate voice shouting after her from the ballroom. "WHY DO YOU NOT REMEMBER?" More frightened than ever, Sarah quickly ran through the armory and up the stairs. As she began to turn a corner, she saw to her horror the tall form of Edward Gracey emerge.

"You are her, you are Elizabeth!" he said, gazing at Sarah imploringly, "You must be!" Terrified, Sarah quickened her pace up the stairs, as the voice of Edward Gracey followed her into the upstairs hall. "Can you not sense it? Search your heart; I am your one true love! And now we can finally be together. Elizabeth, please listen to me…"

"I'M NOT ELIZABETH!" shouted Sarah as she continued to run through the dark hall, running toward the room at the end. "Please," Edward pleaded as he materialized behind the frightened Sarah, "I implore you…"

"Get away from me!" Sarah shouted as she slammed the wooden door shut, her hands remaining on the door in case this man decides to force himself into the room. After a few moments of silence, she turned around and to her shock found the butler Ramsley standing by the window.

"Ramsley!" Sarah exclaimed in relief, "You have to help me! There's something horribly wrong, Mr. Gracey-!"

"I know my dear..." said the butler, gazing intently at her, "He's been expecting you. He's always been expecting you…" Sarah stepped away from the old man, feeling her heart pounding in her chest. "What..?"

"And," Ramsley went on, turning to the four-poster bed, "you haven't put on your dress yet. We must not keep the Master waiting…" Before she could voice a retort, her eyes fell upon an elegant white dress sitting on the bed.

"Waiting..?" Sarah asked in bewilderment, "For what..?" Ramsley slowly turned back to Sarah, "Why, for your wedding of course…"

Sarah froze, he eyes wide with shock. "My..?" It only took her a moment to realize exactly what he was implying. "I'm not Elizabeth!" she said insistently, feeling her body tremble with fear.

"But of course you are my dear," said Ramsley unflinchingly, "you may not see it now, but soon enough you will…" Sarah stared at the old caretaker, shaking her head in disbelief. "No…it can't…You don't expect me to go through with this madness do you?" Ramsley frowned, "Yes, I do."

Sarah backed away from the old man. "I won't do this!" she yelled. "You don't have a choice…" Ramsley replied, "For your children's sake."

Before Sarah could ask, she suddenly saw a shadow pass over the mirror by the window like a gleam in the light. Within the mirror appeared the images of Megan and Michael, crying for help within the confines of a large storage trunk. "MICHAEL, MEGAN!" She cried before turning back to the butler. "Let them go!"

"Of course," Ramsley said, "however you should know that their freedom comes at a price." He gestured to the mirror once more, a grisly image of a monster with large horns and glowing eyes hovering over the small trunk where Megan and Michael remain helpless. Sarah gasped, watching the horrible beast wrap its sharp claws around the large case, its yellow eyes sneering from within the glassy surface. "No..!" she cried out, rushing to the mirror and reaching out to her children but when her hand touched the glass, they vanished, showing only Sarah's worried reflection staring back at her.

"You wouldn't..!" she said breathlessly.

"Not at all my dear," said Ramsley adamantly, "but that is entirely up to you. If things do not go according to plan, I really do fear for the children…"

With these last words, Ramsley disappeared, leaving nothing but a wisp of smoke behind. Sarah sank to the floor, staring into the mirror in hopes of seeing her two children again but only saw her weary reflection looking back. Crying out in despair she buried her face in her hands, weeping bitterly within the heavy and menacing silence.

* * *

Outside the mansion, Riku and friends finally navigated their way back to the gloomy mansion, running rapidly towards the veranda. Jim Evers rushed up to the front doors and immediately began to tug at the handles.

"It's locked!" he said, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Hang on!" Sora said quickly as he pointed his keyblade toward the door. With a loud click, the lock yielded to the keyblade, allowing them passage inside. "Nice," commented Jim before he quickly pushed the heavy doors aside and ran inside with the teens following in his wake, crowding the lobby of the dark mansion.

"SARAH!" he called out in a loud voice, turning full circle in search of his children. "MICHAEL! MEGAN!" Suddenly they heard faint voices within the foyer. "Kids?" Jim yelled as he quickly looked around. Riku scanned the anteroom until his eyes fell upon an object in the far end of the armory. It was a large storage trunk suspended by a hook and chain. It was moving in a jerking motion, muffled voices emitting from inside it. He knew immediately that inside the old trunk was non-other than Michael and Megan, trying desperately to get free.

"Over there!" he proclaimed, pointing to the center of the hall of armor. "They're in the trunk!" Without another word, they charged forward. As soon as they entered the hall, they stopped abruptly when they saw to their astonishment the heads of the armored knights quickly jerk their heads in the direction of the oncoming heroes. Jim took a step back as he gazed at the armored models. "Are they..?" Before he could say another word, the suits of armor stepped off of their podiums with a heavy clang, unsheathing their weapons and holding them offensively toward the teens, who summoned their blades once more and assumed their positions. "Now what?" Jim said, heaving a nervous sigh.

"You get your kids out of the trunk," Sora said reassuringly, "We'll cover you." Jim stared for a moment before finally nodding.

"Don't get in our way!" Sora exclaimed as he and the others readied themselves for battle.

They attacked with full force as the suits of armor returned the offense, swinging their swords as the teens held their blades in defense. Swords, spears and spiked clubs and lances clashed against their blades. "GO!" Riku shouted as Jim hastily ran for the trunk. Riku and Sora quickly flung the animated suits of armor against the wall, making it dissemble onto the floor. Before they could move on to the next foe, they saw the plates of armor quiver on the floor. The plates suddenly began to move towards their original places until it was completely reassembled. "Hey! No Fair!" Sora yelled indignantly as he attacked the newly reformed suit of armor once more.

They continued to fend off the armored foes as Jim wound his way to the trunk, dodging attacks from swords and ball and chains as he went. Just before he could continue, an armored knight jumped in his path, swinging a ball and chain around its headless head threateningly. Jim cringed as he braced himself for impact when suddenly a ball of ice came flying above his head and striking the armored ghost square in the chest. The ghost knight then began to freeze on the spot as the ice crystals began to solidify around the knight's arms, paralyzing them. Jim looked back to find Kairi, her keyblade pointed to the frozen knight. "Hurry!" she urged him as she returned to the fray.

After a few terrifying moments, Jim finally made it to the black trunk, narrowly avoiding an oncoming arrow that whizzed by his head. He quickly unlatched the lock on the large case and opened it, releasing Megan and Michael from their compacted prison at last. As soon as they were free, the suits of armor suddenly stiffened. Sora, Riku and Kairi watched in awe as the armored soldiers froze on the spot as if time itself had come to a complete stop. A moment later, the suits of armor fell apart, the heavy plates and weapons collapsing onto the floor with a thunderous clang.

"Dad!" they cried happily as they threw their arms around their father. Jim embraced his children tightly for a moment before relinquishing them. "I'm glad you're okay!" he said with relief. "When I get my hands on that old-!"

"Are you guys okay?" Sora asked, cutting across Jim's threat. "Yeah," Megan replied with a nod, "we're fine." Everyone fell silent as they all gazed at the doors leading to the ballroom, Ramsley's muffled voice emanating from the other side.

"Alright," Jim said, straightening up. "Let's crash your mom's wedding."

* * *

Inside the grand ballroom, the long awaited wedding was taking place. On the far side of the room was a group gathering around a large podium. On the altar stood Emma and Ezra, Ramsley stood on the top of the stairs where Edward stood, dressed in his romantic best next to Sarah who was now adorned with the very dress that was intended for Elizabeth's wedding. Ramsley solemnly recited the traditional vows, gazing at Sarah all the while as she stood silent, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Wilt thou Edward Gracey," said Ramsley somberly in old English, "take this woman to be your wife? To love and honor her forever in the purest state of matrimony?" With an eager smile, Edward took Sarah's hand in his. "I will!" Sarah bit her lip as fresh tears spilled from her eyes. "And do you," the butler went on, "Elizabeth Henshaw take this man to be your husband? To love and honor in death as you did in life?" Sarah said nothing as she looked up at the caretaker, staring into his eyes for a moment. As she gazed, his eyes suddenly flashed with a yellow light. Remembering her imprisoned children, she lowered her eyes as she forced back a sob.

"...I do." she croaked.

With a nod, Ramsley turned around and quickly poured a powdery substance into a silver cup from the small table beside him. He gently grabbed the chalice, holding it up to the couple. "From this moment on," said Ramsley as he passed the silver chalice to Sarah, "you two shall be together as one for all eternity. Until the very end of time." Sarah numbly took the goblet from the old man, the red liquid swishing gently within. With a scolding look from Ramsley, Sarah then quickly began to sip the wine.

"If anyone has any objections to this union-!"

"STOP!"

Dropping the chalice, Sarah quickly turned around; her eyes wide with shock as a party of six suddenly came bursting through the doors. "Sora, Riku, Kairi!" she exclaimed in shock and relief before her eyes fell upon the form of her husband. "Jim..!" she gasped. Overjoyed, she turned and rushed down the steps of the altar, dropping her bouquet on the floor as she ran into her husband's open arms. "Oh, Jim!" she cried as tears began to spill from her eyes. "It's alright Sarah," Jim said softly, "I'm here now. Everything's going to be okay." Sarah nodded and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she hugged her children to her.

"Get away from her!" Edward snapped as he slowly descended the altar steps, "I lost her once; I do not intend to let it happen again!"

"She's not Elizabeth!" Sora said imploringly, "Tell him the truth Ramsley!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about…" said Ramsley, standing frozen on the altar. "Elizabeth didn't kill herself," Jim interjected, "Ramsley's been lying to you the whole time!"

"I'm warning you…" said Edward, suddenly pulling out a sword and aiming for the group. "Step away!"

"Don't think that just because you pulled out a sword that I'm going to let you marry my wife!" said Jim fearlessly, crossing his arms.

"My patience is wearing thin!" said Edward impatiently. "Elizabeth, please come along." Sarah nervously stepped away from the clad master, shaking her head. "I'm not Elizabeth…" Edward stared at her in bewilderment as he slowly lowered his weapon. "But…you must be…" he said in a low voice. "It's the truth," Riku insisted, "Ramsley just wants you to think that Sarah's Elizabeth so that this curse would be lifted!"

"Enough!" Edward exclaimed as he readied his blade, "If you insist on keeping my love from me, then you leave me no choice..!" He suddenly charged forward, the edge of his sword heading directly for Jim. "DAD, LOOK OUT!" cried Michael in terror. Jim closed his eyes as he braced himself for the oncoming attack. Suddenly, he heard the sound of metal clashing against metal. He slowly opened his eyes to find Sora and Riku, both keyblades crossed with Edward's sword pressed against theirs. Edward jumped back, standing once more at the ready.

"Please listen to us," Sora pleaded, "we don't want to fight you." "I've heard enough of this nonsense!" said Edward adamantly, "Now return Elizabeth to me!"

"She's _not_ Elizabeth," Riku retorted as he took a step forward, "and we can prove it!"

"The letter!" Kairi said eagerly. Edward blinked as he lowered his defenses. "Letter..?" Riku quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out the worn sheet of paper. "Elizabeth's letter," he elaborated, "She wrote this before she died. Ramsley stole it and hid it from you." Without another word, Edward quickly swiped the letter from Riku and immediately began to scan the page, his frown deepening as he read. He then turned toward the altar where Ramsley stood, a look of confusion on his face.

"What is the meaning of this..?"

"Must we continue to endure the harassment of these outsiders?" asked Ramsley. "But this letter," said Edward adamantly, "it is written in _her_ hand!"

"Yeah Ramsley, try explaining _that_!" Megan interjected boastfully only to be shushed by Sarah. "Well?" said Edward as the room fell silent.

Ramsley stood in silence, his hard expression growing dark. "…It is true…I took Elizabeth's life," he said at last. A harsh silence fell over the ballroom. Edward froze, staring up at his long-time manservant in bewilderment. "Ramsley…You. But _why_?"

"…Your union was unacceptable…" Ramsley said, receiving a glare from his master, "I tried to warn you about Elizabeth, but you wouldn't listen." Edward gazed at his old caretaker, his hands balling up into fists. "So it _was _you…" he said angrily as he stepped forward, "you killed her…"

"I told you it would be a mistake to run away with that girl," said Ramsley.

"But I _loved_ her!" roared the master of the mansion as he stopped at the foot of the stairs, "was love my mistake?"

"YES!" Suddenly, all the lights flickered until they went out, casting the ballroom in completely darkness.

"All these years I've sacrificed for you!" said Ramsley fervidly as the darkness in the room began to spread toward the altar where he stood. "But what would you know of sacrifice, duty or honor? You loved her..?" he said sardonically, "Well then…" The teens immediately assumed their fighting stances, watching the organ before them quiver dangerously.

"Perhaps you can keep her company…WHILE YOU ALL ROT IN THE VOID!"

There was suddenly an explosion of wind as every window in the ballroom shattered, shards of glass flying in every direction. Emma shrieked as she and her husband ran for cover while both Jim and Edward helped Sarah move over to the far end of the ballroom, wrapping her arms protectively around her children. The teens readied themselves for action, watching as Ramsley's eyes began to glow with a bright yellow light that broke through the darkness surrounding them. Suddenly from above there came an earsplitting roar that made the glass shards shake on the floor. A moment later, a large form came down from the darkness above them, landing with a heavy thump that made everyone in the ballroom jump. The form was that of a large beast with skin as black as night and claws that could rip metal like tissue. On its head were two large horns that curved toward each other on either side with the pointed ends jutting out toward the mouth which appeared to be invisible under the heavy shadow that was cast by the moonlight outside the windows. The teens gazed up in awe at the giant creature before them, its claws leaving marks on the marble floor. Ramsley lifted a single hand and snapped his fingers as he did before. Immediately afterward, the monstrous Heartless leapt toward the three keyblade masters. Thinking fast, the teens quickly leapt out of range of attack, landing out of harm's way on opposite sides of the creature.

They quickly retaliated with a few blasts of lightning, fire and ice, all of which proved ineffective against the monster. "Is that really the best you can do?" asked Ramsley satirically as he snapped his fingers once more. The monster then raised its giant head; the pointed ends of its horns began to emit sparks of lightning, it then created a stream of energy that connected the two ends of its horns. The sparks grew brighter as its power grew. Suddenly with a loud ferocious screech, the monster finally unleashed its attack. A powerful blast of energy shot out of the stream, making everyone cry out in fright as they fled from its deadly path. As the blast shot out continuously from its horns, it began to rotate itself full circle as though it intended to destroy the entire ballroom. Riku and Kairi sprinted in the opposite direction of the blast while Sora ducked beneath the linear ray. As the ray of lightning died down, the monster uttered a loud roar of impatience, making the walls tremble as dust began to rain down from the ceiling. It then began to swipe it claws at them, Riku evaded the deadly claws for a time but was soon wounded when the claws suddenly hit their mark, creating a gash in his arm. Cringing in pain, he retreated to the wall opposite the monster as he used one of his green potions to heal himself. He was soon joined by Sora and Kairi who staggered to their knees, exhausted from the earlier onslaught.

"Giving up are we?" Ramsley asked mockingly, "I expected better from the keepers of the keyblade."

_This thing's got to have a weakness, _Riku thought; his mind racing as he quickly scanned the Heartless strange body for a possible weak point. The monster appeared to have no legs or feet, it seemed almost all torso and arms with a proportionate head in the middle. That's when he noticed the sparks of energy from the horns. That was it. "The horns!" he exclaimed receiving confused looks from Sora and Kairi. "The horns..?"

"We have to take out the horns, that way it won't be able to attack," he elaborated as he pointed his keyblade toward the monster's head, where the horns began to flash dangerously once more.

"Kairi," Riku began solemnly, "you're the fastest at spell casting. As soon as that thing attacks again, Sora and I will keep its eyes on us while you aim for its horns with some fire attacks." Sora and Kairi nodded solemnly. "Once we get rid of the horns," he went on, "We can finish it off from there." Both teens nodded decisively as they took up arms once again, their keyblades poised for attack.

"Okay," Sora said confidently, "let's roll." They carefully watched as the ray of light grew brighter as the power intensified like before. "Wait for it..." Riku said slowly as the monster prepared to attack. "DIE!" cried Ramsley from the podium as the Heartless finally unleashed its signature strike on its bothersome enemies. The teens acted quickly; Riku and Sora made sure to stay within sight of the hideous creature as it began to slowly revolve around the ballroom, its deadly beam of lightning aimed directly for them while Kairi unleash a barrage of fireballs upon the monsters head. The Heartless ambitiously attacked the boys until the fireball attacks from Kairi caused both of its horns to explode, making it utter a painful howl as it began to thrash its head from side to side in confusion. "Alright!" Sora cheered, throwing his fist triumphantly in the air. "Now's our chance," Riku said hastily, "let's finish it." Both Sora and Kairi gave a single nod. "Right!"

With Keyblade in hand, they quickly positioned themselves around the flailing Heartless, making sure to stay clear of its painful wrath. "NOW!" Sora yelled as he raised his keyblade in the air, Riku and Kairi doing the same in unison. Their blades began to glow with a brilliant golden light as shapes and symbols began to appear where the monster stood, the light growing brighter and brighter until it illuminated the entire ballroom. The Heartless screeched as the light began to envelope its black body. The Evers family shielded their eyes as the golden light began to encompass the room, covering every inch of the once gloomy chamber in a brilliant aura. The light flashed for a moment then it faded, revealing the monster lying on the floor, unmoving. Their work finished, they turned to Ramsley, who stood with eyebrows raised. Whether he was surprised that they had actually succeeded in defeating his monstrous minion or angry that his plans had gone awry, they could not tell.

Before another word was said, a black hole suddenly appeared from beneath the giant Heartless, inhaling it into the floor. As the winds increased, curtains were torn from the windows and objects that were not tied down flew from their places and into the portal, never to be seen again. Sensing danger, Riku, Sora and Kairi retreated to where Jim and his family stood, watching the dangerous phenomenon unfold from a safe distance. The portal grew larger in size as the forceful pull of the winds became more powerful, so much so that even the bystanders were in danger of being drawn into the dark cyclone. Screaming in fear, Ramsley clung to the rail for dear life as the cyclone continued to pull him in, his legs flailing helplessly in the strong winds. The teens held on to each other tightly as they huddled together with the Evers family, the winds of the cyclone increasing its speed with each second that went by. The beast, now conscious of its impending doom, suddenly with its massive arms, reached over to the altar where Ramsley remained floundering by the foot of the stairs. It grabbed the evil caretaker by the foot and yanked him from the railing. Everyone watched in shock and horror as the monster that was once under the control of Ramsley began to drag its master into the portal of endless darkness.

With a loud cry, Ramsley was pulled into the black hole along with the Heartless beast, his cries falling into silence when the portal finally closed, leaving no trace of the old manservant or the monster.

No one said a word for a few moments as they tried to comprehend what it was they had just seen. "That...was so cool!" Michael commented in excitement. Without warning, Sarah suddenly fainted. "MOM!" cried Michael worriedly. "Sarah!" Jim exclaimed as he kneeled down, holding his wife in his arms while everyone crowded around the couple. "Sarah!" Jim called, shaking her gently in an attempt to awaken her. "Sarah!"

"What's wrong with her?" Sora asked, looking down at Sarah worriedly.

"It's the poison!" said Ezra anxiously. "Poison..?" Kairi gasped. Emma nodded regretfully, "I'm so sorry!" she cried as she turned to her husband, sobbing into his chest. "No..!" Jim gasped as he held Sarah closer to his chest, "Sarah! Sarah, stay with me!" Sarah looked up at her husband, her eyes looking distant. "Jim..." she uttered weakly before closing her eyes once more. "Sarah!" cried Jim holding his wife to him. "No...Please...Sarah, I love you. I love you so much..."

"Isn't there something you could do..?" Megan asked the teens, tears spilling from her eyes.

Riku shook his head, "It's out of our hands," he said as he turned away from her shamefully, "I'm sorry."

They were interrupted when a ghostly orb of light floated down from the ceiling, white smoke steaming around it. "GET AWAY FROM US!" Jim shouted angrily as he wrapped his arms protectively around his fallen wife, "LEAVE US ALONE!"

"It's okay..!" Kairi insisted as she tried to calm him, "it's not going to hurt us."

Everyone looked on apprehensively as the spectral orb gently floated toward the motionless form of Sarah, watching it descend into her body until it was gone from sight. Everyone gazed at Sarah's lifeless body in silence, waiting and hoping for a miracle. Suddenly a beam of white light appeared from above, illuminating the spot where the crowd stood. Before they could discern the source of the bright light, the motionless body of Sarah began to rise out of Jim's arms and up toward the light. Their eyes wide in amazement, they all gazed on as Sarah continued to levitate toward the ceiling, rising higher and higher until she suddenly began to shift back to an upright position, her arms outstretched with the light from above shining all around her. To everyone's great surprise, she then opened her eyes, gazing down at the on looking crowd below.

Edward gazed at her, his eyes wide in wonderment. "Elizabeth...is that you..?" The floating woman smiled and replied in a voice that was not her own "_Yes, my love..." _The Evers family gaped at Sarah from below. "That ball that lead me to the painting..." Kairi said slowly, "it was Elizabeth!" Elizabeth nodded, "The truth had to be known in order for me to be released," she explained, smiling down at the three teens, "You saved us all...thank you Keyblade Masters." The teens all nodded humbly.

"No problem," Sora replied as he gave a thumbs up. "Oh, Elizabeth..." sighed Edward, "I've waited so long for this moment." Elizabeth's smile widened as she slowly descended toward Edward, landing gently onto her feet. "And now..." she said softly, "on to eternity." Edward and Elizabeth began to lean close to each other, their lips inches away from contact.

"Ahem!" The couple stopped and turned to Jim, who stood with arms folded, "I don't mean to ruin the moment or anything, but uh...my wife?" Michael and Megan sighed heavily, "That was close..!" Elizabeth and Edward shared an uneasy glance before they both stepped away from each other with Elizabeth facing Jim. They gazed at each other for a moment until a flash of light emitted from her body. She suddenly collapsed into his arms, motionless once again. Jim gazed at his wife, his eyes looking on in disbelief. Was this truly the end for his lovely wife? Will he ever come to forgive himself for her demise? As these thoughts flooded into his mind, he heard Sarah stir in his arms. His eyes widened as he watched Sarah slowly open her eyes, her sight falling instantly on him.

"Jim..?"

Jim gazed at his wife, relief flooding his entire being. "Sarah..!" His wife rose to a sitting position, her hand on her head. "What happened..?" she asked, disoriented, "I remember there was a giant thing, and then...it was all so..." Jim immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay Sarah," he said gently, "it's over now. Everything's alright."

"Mom!" cried Megan and Michael as they ran to their parents, each of which welcomed them joyfully into their loving arms. As the teens watched the touching scene, Riku could not help but feel a warmth in his heart as he watched the family embracing each other. The way Jim and his children purposely put themselves in harm's way to save Sarah from certain death; it almost made his heart ache with homesickness. It reminded him of how much he missed his own family; his parents, supportive and caring. He could not remember a day when they were not there for him, so much so that it almost annoyed him at times. But now that he was far away from home, his heart longed for his island home even more. He missed it all, the sound of laughter wafting through the air as children ran rampant through the town and the faint smell of salt from the sea that carried on through the ocean breeze. It was watching moments like this that made the danger all worthwhile; to make sure no one suffered his own loss.

"I must apologize for my actions earlier," said Edward, smiling sheepishly as he turned to face the Evers family. "Can you ever forgive me?" Sarah shook her head. "No need," she replied with a smile, "We know how much you loved her." Riku, Sora and Kairi nodded in agreement. "People will do anything for love..." Riku stated solemnly. Edward gave a gracious bow before walking over to where the light shined, the beautiful form of Elizabeth awaiting him within the light. "Thank you, Sora, Kairi..." he paused when his eyes fell upon the silver-haired teen. "And...Riku."

Riku froze, blinking in confusion at the mention of his name. Edward gazed at him for a few moments before saying, "...Trust your heart," he said enigmatically, "and you will find what you seek." Riku stared; although he was not entirely sure what it was he was trying to tell him but something in his heart told him that he knew more about him than he first led him to believe. Before he could question him, he saw the ghostly man lovingly take his love by the hand and held it tight as he and Elizabeth beamed over at them from within the light. "Thank you..." said Elizabeth once more as she blew them all a kiss. Edward nodded.

"Thank you all so much..." As he and Elizabeth embraced each other, they began to rise, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes before fading into the light. "Wait for us!" cried Emma as she scurried toward the light, her husband Ezra shuffling close behind her. "Will you slow down?" he said irritably, "There's no need to rush, you know!" Riku watched in amusement as the elderly couple rushed into the light. "Goodbye!" Emma called with an energetic wave. "Thank you so much! We'll miss you!" Sora smiled and returned the wave, "Anytime!" "Take care now," Ezra called as both he and his wife began to float up to the light as Edward and Elizabeth had done. Everyone in the ballroom watched as the Emma and Ezra vanished within the brilliant light, sending off the ghostly couple with a wave of farewell as the light suddenly vanished.

"Well," Sora began with a sigh, "We better get back to where we belong." The Evers family nodded. "I don't know how to thank you kids," said Jim, "You saved our lives."

"No problem," said Sora with a grin, "all in a day's work."

"You make it sound so easy," remarked Riku with a smirk.

"So, what will you all do now?" asked Kairi. Sarah and Jim glanced at each other for a moment before turning back to the teens, a smile on both their faces. "Well..." Sarah began, "actually, I was thinking maybe my family could make this place our new home." Megan and Michael's eyes widened as they looked up at their parents. "Us..? Live here? Really?" Megan asked incredulously. Sarah nodded. "Cool!" Michael exclaimed as he suddenly ran toward the doors leading to the armory. "I get the biggest room!" Megan gaped for a moment before hastily running after her brother.

"No way!" she retorted, "If anyone's getting the big room it's me!" Sarah rolled her eyes as their bickering voices faded. "Some things just won't change..."

"So," Riku began with a smile, "You think Mr. Gracey will mind you two taking ownership of the place?" "I don't think so," Sarah commented, "besides, I don't think he would like it if we just abandoned it like this. It's perfect, right honey?"

"Well," Jim interjected as his eyes swept through the ballroom, "once it's fixed up a bit. Besides, with the curse lifted and the ghosts all gone, this is actually a beautiful house that's worth saving."

Riku nodded as he gazed around the hall. It was then that he noticed that the smell of darkness was gone; all that remained was the scent of dust and old candlewax, completely normal Riku thought. "Well, we better get back," he said, "Good luck."

"Thank you," said Sarah gratefully, "all of you. For everything. I hope that wherever you go, you find what you're looking for." The teens all nodded gratefully.

"Thanks," said Kairi. The three keyblade bearers then made for the exit, waving goodbye to the Evers family as they all finally left Gracey Manor behind.

"I hope that Elizabeth and Edward are happy wherever they are," said Kairi thoughtfully as they walked along the overgrown path beyond the iron gates.

"I'm sure they're even happier now than when they were alive," Riku suggested, "Now they can spend eternity with each other." They walked on for several moments before the portal from which they came was in full view. "Alright," Sora said triumphantly, "we made it." Just as they were about to enter the hazy doorway, Kairi looked back at the mansion and gasped.

"Look!" Kairi said eagerly as she pointed to the mansion. Riku and Sora both turned and saw something that made their eyes widen. All over the estate was a great multitude of lights rising from the graveyard and into the sky, making the clouds part as though allowing them access to the heavens. "Wow..." sighed Kairi in admiration. "With the curse gone," Sora began as he looked up at the sky, "all the ghosts can move on now."

Riku nodded while he watched in awe as the white lights began to float up into the moonlit sky, illuminating the entire estate in a heavenly glow.

"At least they're free..." he said softly, gazing at the heavenly clouds above the old mansion. It amazed him how something that looked so sinister could look so beautifully breath-taking. It was the light that made all the difference, it could transform anything. This only proved that no matter how long something's been in darkness, the light can easily mend the distortion brought on by darkness. Taking one last look at the mansion, the three teens entered the portal, leaving the inhabitants of the estate to continue rising to their heavenly home in the clouds above.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER**


	14. The Inevitable

Upon another world, there was darkness. The air that once held the gentle scent of grass and flowers was now thick with the ominous, smoky, black mist that destroyed everything it touched. Shadow Beasts roamed through the empty city streets, their leering, yellow eyes glowing eerily through the dark smog that surrounded them. Perched on the very top of a tall building was Zaier, staring silently into the hazy distance. He stood motionless for a few moments before he lifted his violet eyes up to the blackened sky, the faint sound of flapping wings filling the gravely silence. Suddenly from out of the murky clouds above came a small flock of creatures that resembled a cross between a bat and a raven, their tattered wings flailing in the breeze as they continued their descent toward the illusionist. The hovered before him, squawking urgently as Zaier stood silent while nodding all the while.

"Very well," he said tersely before taking off his top hat and holding it up to the flying creatures. The winged beasts obediently flew right into the hat, disappearing into the darkness within.

"Hmm…not here either. This is certainly distressing." He said to himself as he placed his hat on his head. Suddenly he heard a rush of wind come up from behind him followed by the sound of footsteps. He turned to find the form of Lida approaching him. "Any luck?" Lida shook her head, "Not in the least," she growled. "I expected as much," replied Zaier nonchalantly.

"My search bore no results either. Pity...I was hoping for a bit more fun." Lida clenched her fists in anger and suddenly brought her whip down upon the golden bell that dangled from above, the strike producing a loud dong that echoed through the empty, silent town like a blaring alarm signaling danger.

"You know Lida, you're quite lovely when you're livid," said Zaier in amusement. "Although…your whip might give off the wrong impression." Lida shot a nasty look over at the young illusionist. "If I had even the smallest hint of humanity in me," she began solemnly, "I would have found your comment very amusing."

"By the way," Zaier began, "Whatever happened with your mission in the Radiant Garden? Didn't you say that you had found one set there?" Lida said nothing as she retracted her whip, the sharp sound echoing through the empty town. "Of course I can't blame you for being angry," said Zaier derisively. "It's none of my business if the Master finds you to be incompetent with a mission of this importance."

"It wasn't my fault!" barked Lida. "He ordered me to abandon the mission just as I was about to-!"

Before another word was said, there came another rush of wind that brought a cloud of blackness swirling before their eyes. The cloud dissipated to reveal the nameless dark-haired man. Zaier and Lida both stood at attention. "Any news?" asked the man tersely, his cold stare piercing the darkness that clouded the entire town. Both Lida and Zaier shook their heads. "Not a hint of them anywhere sire," said Zaier with a sigh. The man grunted indifferently as he gazed at the surrounding black mist. "You realize that with each search wasted, precious time is lost. You'd best not disappoint me further." Both Zaier and Lida nodded silently. "Sir, there's still the one located in the Radiant Garden." Lida said imploringly. "Perhaps if I go now, I can still-,"

"No." The reply came fast and sharp, leaving Lida's remaining words stuck in her throat. "Your orders were specific; Locate the Lumen Stones and report it to me. That is all I expect from you until further instruction, am I clear Lida?" Lida clenched her fists as she lowered her head, her face hidden beneath the shadow cast by her dark hair.

"Yes sir..."

"Well then," Zaier interjected, "shall we continue our search elsewhere?" The man was silent for a moment as if considering the suggestion.

"Very well," he said finally. "Dispatch of this world then, leave no survivors. Lida, you know what to do." With a single nod and a malicious grin, the woman vanished within the black mist, the silent air echoing with the faint sound of her laughter. "Zaier, I have another task for you." The man said just when Zaier was preparing for his departure. The sharply-dressed young man blinked. "Another task sir...?"

"You are to keep a close vigil over our pursuers." Zaier frowned, "you mean the Keyblade Masters?" he asked disdainfully. The nameless man frowned, "Is that a problem...?"

"Of course not sire," said Zaier quickly, "I just don't see how this is necessary; I hardly think that these three can pose any threat to us. After all, they're only teenagers."

"I've witnessed the kind of power they possess and should not be taken lightly," said the man forebodingly. "Don't underestimate them Zaier, I intend to make good use of them. Follow their every step, do nothing until I order you to do so...or do you find the task of following a group of teens too difficult for you to handle?" There was a flash of anger in the illusionist's indigo eyes but it soon passed when he assumed his graceful bow. "I shall not fail." With that, he too vanished. The man stood silent for a moment, his hazel eyes looking over his shoulder. A small smile spread across his lips as he began to fade into a cloud of black mist.

From below, hidden beneath the thick shrubbery was a little chicken, his dark eyes looking on in fear behind a pair of round glasses that seemed to take up most of his feathered head. As he watched the three outsiders disappear from sight, he slumped onto the ground with his eyes to the distant sky. "Where are you Sora...?"

The three keyblade bearers finally returned to the abandoned bunker, the familiar stale air filling their senses upon their arrival. With Riku being the last to step onto the floor of the shelter, Sora and Kairi quickly looked around the dim room, their eyes adjusting to the semidarkness.

"How long have we've been gone?" Kairi asked, her blue eyes sweeping around the dusty room. "I don't know," Riku replied with a shrug, "Not long by the look of this place." As he and Kairi began to take their leave, they suddenly heard Sora cry out in a loud voice.

"You guys, look! The painting!"

Riku and Kairi quickly turned to face the large painting and gasped softly. Looking up at the enormous work of art, they were greatly surprised to see that it had completely changed. The colors of the painting were now more vivid and livelier than before. The ominous night sky that was filled with lightning and moonlight was now a cheery blue with puffs of white for clouds. The jagged, rusty, iron bars were now painted in elegant ebony and decorated with an array of beautiful flowers that now filled the pathway to the mansion in the background, which was now pristine and beautiful. Riku then noticed another change in the painting; the figures of the man and woman seen previously in the photograph had returned, this time however they were no longer dancing as they had done before. Instead, they were both holding each other affectionately as they gazed over at the teens from the veranda, smiling gratefully as if silently thanking them for bringing them together at last.

"I guess they're happy after all…" Riku commented as he continued to look up at the life-size painting. They gazed silently at the newly vivid painting until they suddenly remembered their current situation. "Oh! Leon!" Sora gasped in realization as he quickly turned and ran, Riku and Kairi quickly followed suit. As the teens entered once again into the old storage bunker, they noticed that the sound of rain had now fallen silent. "Leon..?" Sora called as he looked around the dim cave, seeing no trace of the man. "Hello..?" When they found their way back to the area where they once sat, they looked around to find the place deserted. As they looked around, Riku's eyes fell upon a small, folded sheet of paper resting on top of one of the seats they had sat on before their unexpected departure into the painting. He picked up the small note; upon closer inspection, he saw Sora's name scribbled on the face of the paper. "Sora!" he called as he handed the note over to the spikey-haired teen. Sora hastily unfolded the note, his eyes quickly scanning the page.

"It's from Leon!" he said in surprise. "It says:

_Sora,_

_when you and your friends make it back here, head south of Ansem's Castle._

_There you'll find the Restoration Committee's new Headquarters. It's the building with the pale red roof, you can't miss it._

_I'll try to meet up you there as soon as I can._

_Be safe._

_Leon."_

"New Headquarters..?" Kairi blinked. "I guess the Committee got a bigger place," Sora reasoned, "looks like they have been really busy these last few weeks." The teens promptly exited the ancient bunker, being careful to be vigilant of any enemies that could be waiting to ambush them. After they finally made it outside, they scanned the perimeter before they cautiously started back the way they came. "Keep your guard up," Riku warned as he looked around the ravine, "those monsters could show up any second." Sora and Kairi nodded solemnly as they started off for Ansem's castle in the distance. They went vigilantly, looking around every corner for danger before continuing forward. As they passed the Dark Depths, Riku paused and looked back at the empty cliff, seeing nothing but the remnants of Maleficent's abandoned castle beyond the shadows in the distance. For reasons he cannot explain, he felt that there was something calling to him, beckoning the silver-haired teen toward the depths. Sora and Kairi stopped and turned. "Riku..?"

He said nothing, his eyes fixed upon the dreary horizon that stretched on before him. "Riku..?" Sora called more urgently, "Hey! Snap out of it!" Riku suddenly came out of his strange reverie with a jolt, blinking in confusion before turning back to his friends. "W-What...?"

Kairi frowned, "Are…you alright?" she asked, approaching him. Riku numbly nodded, then said "Let's get out of here." Both teens blinked for a moment before they reluctantly turned and continued their walk to Ansem's Castle. Riku quickly looked back at the ominous depths that lied just beyond the crystal fissure for a few moments before finally following after Sora and Kairi.

The Keyblade bearers walked in silence toward the distant city. As Riku took in his surroundings, he noticed something odd in the distant sky. His eyes widened as he uttered a gasp. In the distance, he saw a large cloud of black smoke rising out of the Radiant Garden; evidently disaster has befallen the town during their absence. Seeing this, Sora and Kairi froze in shock as they watched smoke rise into the dreary sky.

"Let's go!" Sora said quickly before he and the others broke into a run towards the smoke, the light of the fires only a faint glimmer within the blackened sky.

Upon entering the Radiant Garden, the teens stopped and stared. The town was strewn in chaos; the stone walls that wound through the streets lay in large heaps that almost completely obscured the ground while rampant fires ate away at the rooftops of several abandoned homes. From above, black smoke billowed out from the ruined town, covering the entire city in a sinister cloud of darkness that seems to stretch on through the streets. The teens gazed in horror at the devastation around them, their unblinking eyes scanning the extent of the destruction. "This is awful," Kairi remarked mournfully as her eyes fell upon the ruins of a home that lied in rubble.

"What happened..?" Sora asked in astonishment, "Who could have..?"

As he observed the damage throughout the streets, Riku began to detect the lingering scent of darkness in the air. Immediately, the image of the nameless stranger came to his mind. He silently fumed; somehow he knew that this was his doing, it could not be anyone other. What could the man possibly hope to gain by destroying the worlds? Was he after Kingdom Hearts as well, or was there a bigger prize to be had? None of this seemed to add up, however one way or another he would find out soon enough and when he does he will end this nightmare permanently.

"You three shouldn't stand around," said a familiar voice from behind them, "It's only a matter of time before those monsters make their rounds." The teens quickly turned, surprised when they saw Leon emerge from the mouth of the Bailey.

"Leon…what happened here?" Sora asked, looking around at the disheveled buildings and walls. Leon sighed as he brought his eyes toward the crumbling remnants of a house in the distance. "Before you guys found me out in the canyon, the entire town fell under attack by the Shadow Beasts."

Sora frowned, "Shadow Beasts..? You mean those things that we fought earlier?"

Leon nodded solemnly. "They're the ones forcing the Heartless as well as all of us into hiding and the ones responsible for this mess," he explained, "Not much is known about them other than their vicious nature. Compared to these things, the Heartless and Nobodies were child's play. This is what's left after this blanket of darkness covered this world...I'll let you fill in the rest..." The teens silently gazed around at the mountain of debris that piled as far as their eyes could see. Riku clenched his fists tightly, hot anger churning in the pit of his stomach. He could only imagine how many homes were thrown asunder, how many families divided and the lives lost, the very thought of it made him sick with grief. How could things go so wrong in such a short amount of time? He had to find the ones responsible for this and quickly, he could not bear to see another world lost to the darkness.

"…Come on. Let's try to get to Headquarters before the Shadow Beasts show up again." Leon prompted. Sora and Kairi remained still for a moment before silently nodding in reply. Taking one final glance at the ruins around them, the teens followed Leon through the Radiant Garden, sorrow for the fallen city laden heavily within their hearts. They slowly wound their way through the wreckage, covering their mouths so as to not inhale the smoky fumes. They continued until they came upon a large building similar to the one described in Leon's note. "This is it," Leon said, his eyes sweeping the area. Riku silently regarded the building; surprisingly, it was one of the few structures in the town that remained intact.

Leon gingerly turned the brass knob and gave the door a gentle push. With a loud creak, the door slowly swung open to reveal a hallway.

"It's just through here," said Leon before entering the building.

The teens quickly trailed in after Leon, Riku closing the door firmly before following in after his friends. The hall was longer then he first thought; there were several doors lining the either side of the bleached walls as they went. They walked on until they came upon a furnished room. All along the walls hung an array of documents and blueprints, the sketches and mathematical equations skirmishing all across the pages. In the center of the room was a large, round table that was littered with folders that were bursting with papers and photographs.

"Sorry about the mess," Leon said casually as he cleared the table of trash. "We've been really busy these last few weeks."

Sora gazed around the room, his eyes wide in astonishment. "I'll say, look at all these blueprints!" he said in amazement, leaning closer to one of the sketches. "You guys really have been busy." Riku gazed around at the blueprints and papers that hung on the walls. "So, why bring us out here?" he asked, "What did you want to show us?" Leon then reached into his vest and pulled out a small stack of papers.

"While you guys were gone, I went to Ansem's study to look into these Lumen Stones and only found these old notes," he said as he relinquished the handful of pages onto the wooden table. "I couldn't find any information on his computer. The stones are mentioned here and there in those notes but it's pretty vague, I hope it helps." Riku, Sora and Kairi carefully looked over the notes, trying to find any hints of information. As Riku poured over the inconsistent scribbles of words on the pages, he suddenly heard Kairi exclaim_. _"I found something!" She quickly read over the words that followed.

'_It is_ _imperative that_ _the stones be locked away in secret; the fate of all who dwell in the light and all who live in darkness depends on it._

_It is unclear just how these stones of light can be hidden for so long without being corrupted by darkness, however I remain cautiously optimistic._

_The scholars and I have agreed that perhaps it was best not to pursue such a dangerous paradox;_

_although the possibilities to better all the worlds could be endless, the consequences for such actions would far outweigh the benefits._

Everyone fell silent as they all tried to digest this newfound information. "Hold on, so it was those scholars that hid the stones?" Sora asked thoughtfully. "Looks that way..." Leon replied.

"Well, we know that these scholars have something to do with the Lumen stones but there's still the question of where the stones are located." Riku pointed out. "There are four sets of stones in all; we know one set is in Disney Castle, if we track down the scholars, they might be able to tell us where to find the rest of the stones." Kairi frowned contemplatively. "I wonder what he meant by 'all who dwell in light and darkness'?"

"We won't know until we find those scholars," said Sora matter-of-factly.

As they all continued their discussion, Riku took the paper from Kairi and carefully read over the hastily written notes again, his frown deepening with each sentence. Why would these scholars lock away their only defense against the spread of darkness? Was it for fear that someone could abuse the stones' power, or was it something much more serious? What concerned him more was the last sentence; _paradox…possibilities…consequences… _What exactly was this paradox and was it what lead to this spread of darkness on all the worlds? It was too soon to tell. Things were anything but certain now; however he was sure that the mysterious enemies causing this dark plague somehow might have something to do with the "consequences" mentioned in Ansem's notes.

Before another word was said, there came a loud blast of thunder from above that shook the entire building. Leon sighed as he brought his eyes to the ceiling.

"This storm is getting worse," he said anxiously. Suddenly from outside they heard another clap of thunder, this time followed by a loud crash that sounded like an explosion.

"Oh no-!" Leon groaned before he quickly sprinted off toward the front door.

Seeing this, the teens immediately abandoned their task and ran after him through the open door. As they gathered themselves outside, they saw the sky suddenly become as black as night, lightning flashing within the thick clouds that swirled menacingly above their heads. "What is this?" Leon asked as he gazed up at the sky. "Look, the clouds!" Kairi exclaimed as she pointed toward the storm clouds overhead. They all looked on as a cloud of dark mist began to rise up from the ground, forming a circle all around them. The ring of darkness soon formed into a pack of snarling, four-legged creatures, their leering yellow eyes gazing hungrily at the Leon and the teens. "Shadow Beasts!" cried Sora as he and the others quickly huddled together with their backs to each other. Before anyone could react, a black haze began to fill the air, covering the town like a sheet. Riku watched in horror as the dark mist began to slowly eat away at the buildings that remained standing from the destruction. As the Radiant Garden dissolved before his eyes, the memory of Lilo and her family began to fill his mind.

_"I'm going to bring your home back, no matter what happens," he said fervently. Lilo then held her fist out to him, extending her pinky finger out. "You promise?" she asked. Riku wrapped his own pinky around Lilo's little finger. "That's a promise," he said nodding his head. Lilo suddenly wrapped her arms around him, much to Riku's astonishment._

_"Please save our ohana!" she begged._

_After recovering from the slight shock, Riku gently patted the little girl's back reassuringly. "I will."_

He cried out as he quickly summoned his keyblade and readied himself for attack as the others did the same, their weapons held defensively. He was not going to stand by and let this world fall to darkness, not again. He was going to protect this world somehow even if he had to die trying. The moment the keyblade bearers took their stance, the Shadow Beasts uttered a sinister growl as the crimson markings on their skin glowed dangerously brighter. The monsters circled their prey before they finally lunged at them, their sharp teeth snapping ferociously. The teens quickly retaliated with a series of strokes that knocked the dark beasts back several feet. The beasts soon attacked again, dark mist spilling from between their jaws. Leon and the teens charged forward, their weapons gleaming and ready for battle. Riku pounced on one of the monsters, swinging his blade swiftly against its horned head until he sent it crashing against a wall. Sora zoomed right up to an unsuspecting beast and unleashed a series of strikes that caused it to explode into a cloud of black smog.

As the battle waged on, one of the Shadow Beasts rapidly leapt toward Riku from behind. Sensing the oncoming danger, he quickly held up his blade in defense while the beast tackled him to the ground. He could feel its hot breath on his face as he writhed beneath the weight of the vicious monster, its jaws biting onto his blade that barred him from the sea of jagged teeth. As he fought off the bloodthirsty beast there was a loud gunshot, suddenly the ferocious animal burst into a cloud of black mist above the silver-haired teen. Riku got to his feet in time to see Leon pointing his gunblade in his direction, white smoke streaming out of the barrel. He quickly nodded in thanks before jumping back into the brawl, the cloud of darkness thickening with each minute until it became too difficult to see.

Thinking fast, Kairi swung her floral blade gracefully and shot several blasts of light into the air, illuminating everything. The Shadow Beasts howled with pain as they recoiled into the thick cloud of darkness, their markings visible within the dark haze. "Good going, Kairi," commented Sora. As dust from the earlier skirmish began to settle, the ground collapsed right where Kairi stood, forming a dark pit beneath her feet. "Kairi!" cried Sora worriedly. Before she could fall into the bottomless pit, Leon immediately grabbed Kairi by the hand and pulled her out of the pit of darkness and away from danger. They all scurried away from the dark pit, watching it widen as the ground continued to erode away.

"What do we do?" Kairi asked as she looked around at the dying world, "everything is disappearing!"

"You three get out of here while you still can!" Leon urged, "If you hurry, you could get to your ship and escape!"

"What about you and everyone else?" Sora asked. "There's no time!" Leon countered. "You have to go on and find those Lumen Stones. Don't worry about me, I know you'll pull through."

Riku's mind was reeling; there had to be a way to stop this but how? As these thoughts rushed through his head, Kairi slowly got to her feet. She began to step away from the group, walking slowly toward the dark haze. "Kairi?" Riku stood in bewilderment as she stepped closer to the consuming mist, her eyes distant. "Something's...pulling me," she said in a strange voice. "What...?" Before anyone could ask, Kairi suddenly sprinted off into the wall of black mist, running swiftly through the misty streets. "Kairi! What are you doing?" Sora yelled as he immediately took off after her.

They all followed after Kairi through the dark mist, but when they reached the empty streets, they saw no sign of her.

"Where could she be going?" Sora asked, more worried than bewildered. As he contemplated on Kairi's strange behavior, Riku suddenly remembered how they had found the mysterious woman acting strangely as well. That was when an idea came to him.

"...I think I know where she's going," he said solemnly. "Follow me."

He suddenly took off running into the black mist after Kairi. "Riku, what-!" He heard Sora exclaim but made no indication that he heard him as he continued to race through the desolated streets, forcing Sora and Leon to chase after him through the threatening darkness.

Riku, Sora and Leon followed the uneven trail leading to the Dark Depths, defeating many Shadow Beasts along the way. They continued on until they finally reached the Dark Depths where they found Kairi, standing motionless in the center of the rocky clearing. "Kairi, what's wrong?" Sora asked, receiving only silence in reply. Before they could call out to her again, Kairi's keyblade suddenly materialized within her hand. She then slowly raised her blade, pointing it straight to the sky; at that moment, four lights suddenly appeared in the ground around her. While he watched this unfold, the image of King Mickey raising his blade to the sky in the center of the clearing outside his castle flashed across Riku's memories. That was when he realized exactly what was happening. As Kairi stood with her blade to the sky, something began to rise up from beneath her feet, lifting her higher above the ground. Everyone watched with wide eyes as a large pillar of stone rose up from the ground; raising the young princess-of-heart into the air. The lights surrounding her also began to rise up from the ground. The blue light then transformed into large jagged boulders, the blue aura fading until it solidified into stone.

Riku, Sora and Leon stared in awe at the set of stones that now stood before them. "Are those...?" Leon began but fell silent when he saw the markings upon the stones begin to flash with a lavender glow that seemed to give off a soft warmth.

Suddenly, a bright wave of an iridescent light began to emanate from the symbols engraved into the stones; it grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped the entire area. Riku and the others quickly covered their eyes as the white light spread throughout the canyon, making its way to the deteriorating Radiant Garden. The light swept the Shadow Beasts that roamed the deserted streets away like sand washed away by the wave of seawater, their painful howls echoing throughout the entire town until it faded into silence. Riku opened his eyes in time to see the white light fade into nothing, watching in amazement as it retreated into the glowing symbols that pulsed brightly. Silence began to fill the still air as the group carefully opened their eyes, seeing that the mysterious light had vanished.

"What just happened...?" asked Sora as he looked around, gasping when he saw Kairi lying motionless in the center of stones. "Kairi!" he cried worriedly as he and Riku rushed to her side. Sora held the unconscious teen in his arms, shaking her gently to try to stir her from unconsciousness. "Kairi! Come on, open your eyes! Kairi!" Both teens paused when they heard her utter a soft groan. To their great relief, they watched as she slowly opened her eyes. "Sora..."

"You're okay!" Sora said, sighing with relief. Riku smiled, greatly relieved that she was alright. "You had us all worried for a second," he said with a laugh. "I'm sorry," Kairi said apologetically. Sora shook his head. "Don't be," he said softly. "It wasn't your fault." Knowing that Kairi was unharmed, Riku observed his surroundings.

As he looked around, he noticed that there was no sign of the dark mist that had once plagued this world. Everything was as it once was; there were no signs of damage or destruction anywhere. It was as if the storm of darkness never came to this world. "The darkness…it's gone." Kairi said softly, her eyes wide in amazement. Everyone fell silent as they all gazed at the distant town, the air now free of the ominous black haze. "So, that's the power of the Lumen Stones…" Leon said thoughtfully as he turned to the set of stones before him. Sora nodded, "King Mickey said that these stones can keep away darkness," he explained, "If we find all the stones, we can put an end to all this destruction."

Riku gazed at the stones for a moment, watching the symbols gently pulse. He was glad that the stones had put a stop to the spread of darkness upon this world, but there was still something that troubled him in his heart. How was it that Kairi knew the location of these Lumen Stones, was it the stones that called out to her? Could she be tied to the stones as well?

_"It was her heart that lead her to the stones,"_ said a voice as if in reply to his tumultuous thoughts.

He and his friends quickly looked around for the source of the voice. "Who's there?" Riku called. Suddenly there was a large flash of light that seemed to come from nowhere. The teens scanned their surrounding to find everything still and silent. As he looked around Riku noticed that Leon had not reacted or moved since the flash of light came about. "Leon...?" There was only silence. "Leon...?" called Sora in confusion. Still he would not respond. Sora waved his hand before the frozen man's face. "Leon! Come on, snap out of it!" Sora exclaimed as he tried to get Leon to move but to no avail. "What's wrong with him?" Kairi asked worriedly.

Before another word was said, a tall figure appeared from behind them. The teens eyes fell upon a tall and burly man they have never seen before. He was clothed in a white robe with patterns sewn on the end of each sleeve that hung past his enormous hands. Around his neck hung a necklace consisting of large, green beads that ended in a strange, silver amulet that dangled in front of his bare chest. In his hand he held a large staff as white as his clothing, adorned with sophisticated patterns and markings while still maintaining its pearl white color. On the very top of the staff was a silver hourglass that slowly revolved in a circular motion within a glass sphere.

"What did you do to Leon?" Sora demanded vehemently, his keyblade ready for action. "Be calm, Sora. Your friend is unharmed, I assure you, " said the mysterious man calmly. "He is merely frozen in time."

"Time...?" Sora said in bewilderment. As he checked his surroundings, Riku saw birds that were frozen in mid-flight while the clouds remained motionless in the sky. Time truly had come to a halt. "Wait, how do you know our names?" asked Sora.

"You're deeds these past few years have not gone unnoticed," said the robed stranger, "you two have created quite a stir within the realms of both light and darkness."

Riku felt something inside him churn unpleasantly; although he sensed no darkness in this man, he could not find it in him to trust him. There was no telling who he might be working for or what his motives are, he had to remain cautious.

"Who are you and what do you want with us?" He asked, holding his keyblade defensively as he stared at the man's hard, virid eyes.

"My name is Nemphius," said the large man in a gruff voice, "I'm well aware of the distress that has befallen your worlds, and that you are also seeking the remaining Lumen Stones." The teens blinked, lowering their weapons slightly.

"So, you're not…one of them?" Kairi asked curiously. The large man shook his head. "I bear you no ill will Keyblade Masters," Nemphius said reassuringly.

Riku held fast to his weapon. "Oh yeah, why should we trust _you_?"

"Whether to trust me or not is your choice," said the man indifferently, "Either way, it cannot save you from what is to come."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, perplexed by the man's ominous warning. "I've come to give you a glimpse as to what will occur in the near future," said Nemphius solemnly. "The balance between light and darkness is in turmoil, and from this instability is born a fearful wave of destruction that has been sealed away by the very power that created it."

Before the teens could ask the meaning of his words, they noticed the hourglass atop the staff he held. They watched in fascination as the hourglass began to spin, staring unblinkingly as it began to spin faster until it became a spherical blur before their eyes. As they gazed on in amazement, they saw lights flashing within the blurry sphere like bolts of lightning. They suddenly saw a familiar vision of a tropical paradise inside the spinning orb, it looked very similar to Destiny Islands, however they knew that it was not their home. The trees were wilder and the ocean was crowded with sailboats. They could see that it was daytime upon that world, the reflection of the sun gleaming upon the water's surface. The inhabitants of the tropical world were going on about their lives, coversing with one another, smiling and laughing all the while. Riku almost envied them. Suddenly the sky became as black as night in a matter of seconds, leaving no trace of sunlight anywhere.

The smiles of the people turned into frowns of concern and fear as they gazed anxiously at the stormy sky. Then an enormous wave of wind and darkness came upon the unsuspecting world, uprooting trees and plants, tearing away the golden sand that held them down. The people cried out in terror as they were thrown into the swirling abyss in the sky; boats were upturned and people grasped each other while several others slipped out of their loved ones grasp, every last person vanishing into the darkness. The teens watched in horror as the wave of destruction literally inhaled every inch of the tropical island until nothing remained, bits of rubble floating almost helplessly through the vast emptiness of space.

It was after that disturbing image did the blurry sphere begin to slowly return to the original form of the hourglass. "What _was_ that...?" Kairi asked in a hushed voice, her hands trembling.

"The Eternal Abyss," Nemphius replied solemnly, "an all-consuming entity with an insatiable hunger for destruction." Sora stared, dumbfounded by what he just witnessed. "Isn't there a way for you to prevent this from happening?" asked Riku, looking almost as distaught as his friends.

Nemphius lowered his eyes. "Time is a cruel circle. It has no beginning and has no end. Past, present and future all exist in one single line. Of course the flow of time is different for all people, but to me, it is like a river. Everything begins and ends, but even after every ending, time never truly stops. It flows on, unhindered and unchanged. However, knowing the outcome of this journey, you must now choose."

"Choose...?" asked Kairi in confusion.

"Imbalance between Light and Darkness affects all worlds as well as those who dwell within those worlds," the man explained. "Your search for the stones will have ended in vain; once awakened, the Eternal Abyss will forge on like an unstoppable force. Knowing this, will you still continue your quest?" A heavy silence followed after the man's question. They glanced over at one another, nodding as if reading each other's thoughts. They brought their gaze toward the large man, who continued to stare in their direction.

"...We've decided...to keep looking for the rest of the stones." Sora said decisively. "If finding those stones is the only way to bring balance to light and darkness then we're not going to stop now. You might think that there's no hope, but...we still have to try." Both Riku and Kairi nodded firmly in agreement.

The time keeper stood silent for a moment, his hairless head gleaming in the stillness of the sun. "...I see." He then raised a single hand, where an orb of light suddenly appeared. The light then transformed into a silver hourglass that hovered above his open hand. "This charm will aid you on your journey," he informed them as the charm floated over to where they stood.

"What does it do?" asked Kairi, gazing closely at the floating charm.

"With this," Nemphius began, "you can slow time down to a crawl. Even when faced with eminent danger, you render your enemies' attacks useless." Kairi gently grabbed the floating hourglass, her eyes wide in fascination.

"Thank you," Riku said a little taken aback, "but...why are you doing this for us?"

Nemphius said nothing as he turned away from the teens. "Because...like you, I wish to avoid a bitter outcome." Riku stared; whoever this man was, whatever his reasons for aiding them, he felt that there was something almost melancholic about him, he could almost sense a deep sadness reverberating from him.

He watched as the man began to walk away from them. He stopped abruptly and turned to face the teens. "...One set of stones lies in a world where colors fly across the sky," he said, solemnly. "Finding the others will depend on you three." With those last words, there was another flash of light. Riku blinked as he brought his eyes to where Nemphius last stood but saw nothing. He was gone. The teens blinked for a moment as they looked around, seeing that the flow of time had returned to normal. The birds resumed their flight across the sky and the clouds began to slowly glide over the horizon once again. "Time's moving again..." Sora said in fascination.

_"What's moving again?"_ Sora jumped, startled by the sound of Leon's voice. "Oh! L-Leon! I uh..."

Leon frowned, "Is something wrong Sora?"

Sora was about to explain what had happened during the last few minutes that went by unnoticed by Leon but stopped himself when he saw Riku and Kairi solemnly shake their heads. "Uh...It's nothing," he said sheepishly, "Forget it."

"We should head out now," Riku said solemnly. "The other worlds might need our help."

Leon nodded. "Alright, I'll head back over to Ansem's Castle and see if I can dig up anything else on the Lumen Stones."

"Okay," Sora replied with a nod. "Say hi to everybody for me."

Leon smiled and nodded. "I will."

"Take care." Kairi said as she waved her hand in farewell. With those parting words, the teens immediately left for the gummi ship. Leon stood on the cliff, watching them disappear into the distance. "...I hope you find them before it's too late. I have faith in you...Sora." he said before taking his leave for Ansem's Castle.

The teens quickly boarded the Kingdom II and strapped themselves in. The ship launched straight up into the lavender sky, breaking through the clouds and entering the blackness of outer space. "A world with colors in the sky...?" said Sora as he crossed his arms in contemplation. "I wonder where that is...?"

"It shouldn't be too hard to find," Kairi said optimistically. "At least we know what to look for." As Riku silently watched the Radiant Garden shrink into the distance, thoughts of everything he had learned began to swim around his mind like an agitated shark. _Light and Darkness, Eternal Abyss, paradox_… The more he thought about it, the more perplexed he became. He knew that the only way to decipher the meaning of the notes would be to hopefully find someone who knew as much as Ansem did about the stones, but as the thought came to him he knew that it was going to be far from easy.

And then there was Nemphius; a puzzling sort but otherwise trustworthy or so he seemed to be. He was not entirely certain of the man's true nature, until then he and his friends would have to be careful. Before he can contemplate on this further, he felt a warmth growing from within his abdomen. He quickly looked down and saw a golden light glowing inside his stomach, it lasted for only a few seconds before it disappeared. He gasped as he placed a hand over his stomach.

"Are you okay, Riku?" asked Sora, seeing Riku's worried expression.

Riku said nothing as he jerked his hand from his stomach and grasped the arms of the seat he was in. "...I'm okay," he said, "I just... thought I saw something."

"What did you see?" asked Kairi, looking concerned. Riku paused, trying to find the right words to describe what it was he had just seen. "...I'm not sure." he said finally, "it's gone now though."

Sora and Kairi exchanged looks before nodding at Riku and turning back to the controls. Riku stared down at his slightly bulging stomach in bewilderment. Was he seeing things? He stood up from his seat and went to the hall leading to the cabins. As he walked through the hall, something in his heart told him that this thing inside him was more than what it seemed. Could this being have a power all its own? Was there perhaps some sort of purpose behind his predicament? He did not know; whatever this meant, good or bad, a part of him was almost afraid to find out.

**End of Chapter**


	15. Searching

**And so begins our heroes' official search for the fabled Lumen Stones! By the way (and I am sure some of you know this already) **_**Lumen**_** is an old Latin word meaning light, lamp, daylight, basically a bunch of references to things that give light. Just a little fun fact. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

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The fire had consumed every part of the unsuspecting world, leaving what remains of the lost city to decay into crumbling heaps of ash and stone. Black smoke slowly ascended into the black sky, snaking its way across the starless atmosphere like dark serpents. The ruins of homes and buildings lay desolate and silent beneath the foreboding blackness that hung overhead as ashes glided along the wind that whispered through the unnervingly soundless streets. On the top of the tallest structure, a single feather as black as night drifted gently down, twirling whimsically through the stale breeze that brushed through the decaying metropolis. As the feather drew close to the top of the rundown building, a flash of light suddenly erupted from it, the tall figure of Ahzuron materializing in its place.

His raven hair billowing in the smoky wind, his sharp, hazel eyes regarded the devastation that lied before him. He remembered this world once being very lively, even during the night hours; the citizens could still be seen out of their homes, strolling around the city streets with their eyes glittering with the reflection of the many lights that illuminated their world. What he marveled the most about the city was the innocence within the eyes of the people, not a hint of fear or prejudice, what could they have possibly done to deserve such a terrible wave of destruction to befall their home?

He brought his gaze down and noticed among the scalded remains of what appeared to be a child's toy, a doll carved with a wooden face and hair of yarn, lying among the cinders. He knelt down and gingerly picked up the doll, its singed hair falling away into ashes between his gloved fingers.

He sighed mournfully as he gazed once more at his dreary surroundings. Suddenly he heard a sound deep within the lifeless city ruins, it sounded like the swish of sand and dust falling to the earth. Ahzuron slowly raised to his feet, staring hard into the shadows of the empty buildings, nothing, not a hint of movement.

Although he knew that there were no survivors, he could still sense a lingering presence within the city, a sinister and inhuman presence that almost beckoned him silently through the darkness. His eyes narrowing in suspicion, he leapt off of the building, leaving a trail of dust and soot swirling in his wake. Ahzuron quickly took in his surroundings as he made his gradual descent toward the ashy ground; he saw only shadows and dark outlines of decomposing buildings in the distance, but that unknown presence still lingered in the air. It was hiding somewhere within the forsaken world as if knowing that he would be hunting for it. Or perhaps _it _was hunting for _him. _He deftly drew out his weapon as he landed silently onto the dusty earth, the silver chrome of the firearm gleaming in the moonlight.

He slowly walked along the soot-filled road, clouds of ash and dirt whirling with every step of his leather boots. He strained his ears for any signs of life but heard only the sound of his own footsteps and the mournful breeze whistling through the desolate streets. He continued on, the tall building casting looming shadows all around him. The silence grew heavier the father he went and the darkness of the night grew blacker still. Suddenly he stopped. The unknown entity, it wasn't far. He quickly readied his pistol and waited, his eyes scanning his surroundings.

As he was about to continue forward, a large form suddenly lunged out from the shadows, its monstrous jaw wide open. Ahzuron quickly leapt sideways, dodging the oncoming attack. The thirty foot behemoth skidded to a stop before him, its hulking, inhuman form toppling large buildings into a pile of dust with an earsplitting crash. It stared at the armed man hungrily as it took a step forward, its foul breath fogging the air, the pale glow of its narrow eyes bright against the blackness surrounding it. Ahzuron immediately took aim at the growling beast, the barrel of the gun pointing directly between its leering, yellow eyes that gazed insidiously in his direction. He stared hard into the heart of the monstrous creature; although darkness was saturated within the body of the Shadow Beast, amidst the swirling mist, there was a faint glimmer of light that would flash every so often.

He frowned as he observed the ravenous fiend. "I see…" It was clear to him then that this monstrosity before him was really an innocent man that had somehow fallen under the curse caused by the dark mist. Considering his enemy's size and ferocity, he would have to be careful in extracting the dark core.

With a deafening roar, the beast leapt forward to attack. Ahzuron charged forward, firing several shots into the face of the monster, making shriek in pain and annoyance as it thrashed its head from side to side and knocked over the surrounding structures. Thinking fast, Ahzuron leapt high into the air, his weapon transforming within his grasp. The shape of the gun changed instantaneously, molding from a pistol into a large cannon attached to his arm. He immediately fired several blasts toward the rampaging giant, however this proved ineffective as it suddenly jumped and began clawing at him with colossal paws. Although none of the blows met their mark, the force of the giant claws knocked him back several feet before he made contact with solid ground. Planting both feet on the ground, Ahzuron readied his weapon for attack as the vicious behemoth growled dangerously, bearing its massive, bloodthirsty fangs.

He watched as it again charged forward, a loud roar escaping its jaws. As the monster closed in on him, Ahzuron silver pistol began to meld into his entire arm once again, creating a large gauntlet that gleamed formidably in the pale light of the moon. The beast leapt at him, reaching a full ten feet above his head. Ahzuron ran forward and just as he came within mere inches of its cavernous jaws, deftly slid beneath the aggressive animal. He quickly drew back his gilded arm and struck the giant creature, his arm piercing through the chest like a heated knife through ice. The vicious beast uttered an agonizing howl as the man drove his arm deeper into its chest, mist of darkness pouring out like a river breaking through a dam. "Your suffering is at an end," grunted Ahzuron as he continued to expel the darkness inside the dangerous being, "don't be afraid…" He swiftly pulled his arm out of the chest cavity, leaving not a scar or dent where his arm had been. As he drew his arm out of the animal, something was resting in his hand. In his grip was an orb of dark energy that pulsed ominously in his grasp.

The large Shadow Beast collapsed onto the ground with a ground shattering thump, however the creature remained active. It groaned loudly; Ahzuron watched while its enormous body began to convulse violently, the dark mist continuously expelling from its body. Suddenly it began to shrink in size like ice under the sun. The monster continued to shrink until it reached about five feet, nine inches tall, then the body began take on more human characteristics, paws turning into hands and feet and fur slowly falling away until only the skin was visible.

The man then fell unconscious, his frail form limp at Ahzuron's feet. After extinguishing the swirling orb of darkness in his hand, he knelt down and placed his fingers onto the unconscious man's forehead, closing his eyes in concentration as the tips of his fingers began to glow with a faint, blue aura. Ghostly memories suddenly began to flow within his consciousness, images of raging fires and panic-stricken people running in all directions flashing before his eyes. He watched the horrific scene unfold as if he himself were seeing it with his own eyes. He could see the man managing to escape into the outskirts of the city; he managed to travel a good distance away until he was suddenly attacked from above, however the attacker was obscured in shadow from the light of the large fire in the distance. Ahzuron continued to dive deeper into the man's memories, watching the defenseless man being dragged across the field until his captor tossed him onto the ground before someone's feet. As the memories began to come to a close, he suddenly saw a familiar face or rather several familiar faces standing over the frightened man. One of the men, whom he recognized as none other than Zaier, leered down at him from above while the other suddenly summoned a giant sword that was filled with darkness and stabbed the man with it. Ahzuron's eyes snapped open, his heart racing as if he had just woken up from a vivid nightmare. The other man he had seen, could it really be him causing all this? As much as he wanted to believe otherwise, there was no contradicting what he had seen.

He stood up from the ground and lifted his eyes up to the lifeless sky, gazing mournfully at the black fog spitefully swirling above him.

"Brother…what have you done?"

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The gummi ship floated slowly through the large expanse of emptiness around it. To Riku, it was not moving fast enough. He lied upon his back inside his cabin, watching the cluster of green asteroids roll indolently by his window. It had been nearly two hours since they had departed from the Radiant Garden and since then saw no sign of any danger. As he stared out at the darkness of space, he noticed that the blackness that hung all around them was strangely brighter than before as if there was a hidden flame somewhere, breaking through the darkness with its unseen light. He then brought his eyes down to his stomach, remembering the strange light he had seen hours ago. He rose from his bed and went over to the full body mirror that was built into the wall adjacent to his bed. He gazed at his reflection for a moment before he partially opened his black shirt and pulled down his jeans slightly, exposing his somewhat bulging stomach. He gingerly grazed his hand over his abdomen as memories of the mysterious golden light replayed in his mind. _What was that? _He frowned at his familiar reflection, concentrating on the slightly stretched skin of his stomach.

It did not seem real, but he could not deny what he saw, what he felt. However, the longer he stared, the less real it became to him. What could have caused that mysterious light to appear? It did not seem to have any physical effects on him as of yet; he felt relatively well, a bit sore from battle but otherwise normal. No nausea or dizziness, not since they had left the cemetery within Gracey Manor. He wondered if perhaps the child had suddenly expired from inside him due to the physical strain he was put through these past hours. Could that golden light have been a visual manifestation to signal its demise? Riku slowly ran his fingers over the tender skin of his abdomen. As these thoughts entered his mind, for a split second he began to subconsciously feel a twinge of concern for the life form growing in his body but it soon passed as quickly as it occurred. He sighed impatiently as he shook his head, adjusting his clothing to the way it was before and left the room.

In the cockpit he found Kairi seated alone on the co-pilot's chair. She looked up at him, smiling her gentle, sympathetic smile. "Feeling better Riku?" she asked with a pang of concern in her voice. Riku silently nodded; he thought it best not to mention anything about the golden light he had seen earlier, especially since he did not know what the strange occurrence meant or what caused it. "Where's Sora?"

"He went to the restroom," she replied.

Riku said nothing as he lowered himself into one of the luxurious chairs behind the pilot seat. "…paradox…" Riku looked up, surprised by the word she had used. "What?"

"I was just thinking…" Kairi said thoughtfully, "About what we read in Ansem's notes, it talked about a paradox, something that could help the worlds or destroy them…why would Ansem study something like that?" Riku frowned in contemplation; although he had known the man for only a year, he was conscious of the suffering Ansem had endured from his exile and the guilt he felt from the chaos he had wrought on the worlds due to his past indiscretions. Perhaps there was more to Ansem's woeful carelessness than he was first led to believe. "I don't know," replied Riku solemnly, "Whatever this paradox is…it has to be connected to what's going on. We'll probably learn more going forward. I just wish we had something more to go on than just that one page."

Kairi nodded silently as she turned to face the front window. "Light and Darkness…I wonder if…" she said softly, her eyes taking in the wide expense before her. Riku gazed at her, concerned about her strange behavior. "Kairi…?" As if realizing that she was not alone, she blinked in surprise and turned back to face him, smiling sheepishly. "Oh, sorry…" she said with a laugh. "It's nothing."

Riku was about to speak when Sora suddenly emerged from the dark curtain. "See anything yet?" he asked as he sat down in the pilot's chair. "Nothing yet," Kairi replied as she shook her head. Sora frowned in contemplation. "Hmm…maybe we should try asking around," he said optimistically.

Riku gave his friend a serious look. "Sora, we can't just drop in on the other worlds like that, there's no telling how our being there will affect those worlds or…who could be following us there."

Sora lowered his eyes sheepishly. "Yeah…you're right."

"A world with colors in the sky shouldn't be hard to find," Kairi interjected, "We just need to keep our eyes open for anything out of the ordinary."

Suddenly a red light from above them began to flash as a siren blared within the cockpit. "What's going on?" Kairi asked her eyes wide in alarm. Her question was answered by a forceful lurch of the ship, causing the teens to stumble and fall. Riku fell to his knees as the ship was rocked by another quake. When the ship finally became still once again, the teens quickly got their feet and went over to the controls. "Did we hit something?" asked Sora, his eyes sweeping over the controls. "I don't think so," Riku replied as he began to review the ship's status. Before another word was said Kairi suddenly gasped. "What is that?" Both Riku and Sora looked up and gasped. Out the window they could see a large cloud of darkness that almost obscured everything around them. The cloud consisted of what appeared to be large asteroids and space ships of unknown origin.

"Are those…?" Kairi gasped. Riku leaned closer to the window, peering through the dark expanse that lied before them. The things whirling around were in fact small ships with a crimson symbol emblazoned upon the face of the ships, an emblem that he recognized immediately upon seeing it.

"Heartless…" he breathed. Sora came up to the window, peering at the swarm of Heartless ships ahead of them. "That's them alright," he said anxiously. Suddenly the holographic screen appeared within the cockpit, the images of the gummi engineers in full view.

"_Hey guys!" _greeted Dale from the Gummi Hangar, "_We're here to help!" _

"_We received a distress signal from you," _said Chip,_ "What's your status?" _

"There's a mob of Heartless ships ahead of us," Sora replied as he kept his eyes on the large swarm before them. There was a moment of silence until Chip chirped _"Wow…" _

"_There's so many of em'!"_ Dale said in awe.

"How do we work the weapons on this thing?" asked Riku.

"_The Kingdom II has a cooperative feature,"_ Chip explained, _"One person steers the ship while the other attacks, since the ship has two different cannons, it requires two people to operate them_. _We'll talk you through it." _

Sora nodded. "Battle stations guys," he said as he hopped onto the captain's chair and manned the controls. Riku rested onto the chair beside Sora as Kairi did the same.

"_This'll be a piece of cake,"_ Chip reassured them, _"like riding a bike; you won't forget."_

Riku glanced at the controls skeptically. "This might be a little more complicated than a bike."

As their ship drew closer to the mass of Heartless ships, the swarm froze and turned to the approaching gummi ship, their cannons poised for attack. "Ready weapons!" commanded Riku. Sora nodded as he quickly flicked several switches on the control panel, colored lights flashing on as each switch was flipped and each button was pressed. "Weapons armed and ready!" he proclaimed. "Defense systems green!" Kairi announced.

Sora gripped the handle bars of the small steering wheel tightly. "Alright, here we go!" With a quick thrust of the yoke, the ship sped off into the swarm, the cloud of darkness covering them like a cloud, suddenly like bees the enemy crafts swarmed toward the larger vessel. _"Here's how co-op mode works,"_ began Chip, _"The ship is equipped with two different weapons, 'The Plasma cannon,' and the 'Nova gun'. Use the plasma cannon to stun the enemy ships while you attack with the Nova gun. Be careful, although the ship has high defense, the weapons can be knocked off or destroyed at any moment."_

The three teens all nodded. "Got it."

As soon as they entered the fray, the ships immediately opened fire, bursts of white and red flying in every direction. _"These guys are only strong when they're in a group,"_ elaborated Chip, _"when they start gathering together, try launching the plasma wave to stun them, that's when you attack with the Nova gun. But you have to be quick; the effects of the plasma wave won't last long."_ The Heartless ships suddenly stopped in their tracks. Just as Chip had finished his explanation, the Heartless crafts began to group together, forming a cross formation in neat rows of five.

"_Here they come, guys," _Dale warned, his voice anxious, _"get ready!"_

The ships then began to unleash a barrage of cannon fire. Sora immediately steered the Kingdom ll out of the line of fire, the deadly projectiles missing their target by inches.

"_Now Kairi!"_ cried Chip, his shrill voice crackling over the speakers. With a quick nod, Kairi aimed the Plasma cannon at the armada and fired. They waited for what they thought would be an instantaneous burst of light and energy, but saw nothing. "What's going on?" Riku asked, glancing at warily at the opposing vessels in front of their ship.

"_Wait for it…" _

Suddenly a giant wave of green light erupted from the cannon. The wave of green sparks expanded over the swarm of Heartless ships like a parachute, engulfing them in a net of plasmid energy sparks and breaking their formation. The teens watched in awe as the Heartless were scattered across the blackness, their small group thrown into disarray. "Whoa…" Sora and Riku uttered in shock. _"Now's your chance to take em out!" _

Riku took control of the Nova Gun and unleashed a torrent of laser blasts that flew in a straight line toward the dazed Heartless, each of them disappearing until nothing remained.

"_Alright!" _Dale cheered, "_Nice shot! Now go for the others before they send for more of those ships!" _

The teens continued their offensive strategy, Sora navigating the ship through every surge of deadly attacks while Riku and Kairi kept at their stun and kill tactic which proved effective for a time, but as the minutes wore on, the numbers of the opponent ships seemed to only increase the longer they fought. "They're everywhere!" Riku said anxiously as he continued to launch energy blasts at the oncoming ships, each of them disintegrating into short bursts of light as they met their end. While the prepared for another attack, the ships froze once again and began to group together as before, however it was not a small group this time. The entire swarm began to gather towards each other, forming a large ball.

The teens watched in astonishment as the smaller ships began melding against one another until it created a larger mass that was a thousand times their size. The giant ball suddenly became transparent and murky with an unknown object glowing brightly within its translucent body.

"Chip, what is that thing?" Sora asked, gazing warily at the creature before them. _"WHOA! That's one big Heartless!" _replied the chipmunk in astonishment. "_That's_ a Heartless?" Riku asked in disbelief.

"_You guys are going to have to engage that thing in order to get to the world beyond," _Chip said matter-of-factly, _"try to find its weak spot first." _

"We're on it," Riku replied curtly as the teens strapped themselves down onto their seats, the viscous enemy drawing dangerously closer to the ship. The blob of transparent fluid glowed malevolently before a group of enemy ships suddenly materialized around it, unleashing a wave of cannon fire hurdling toward them. "Whoa!" Sora cried as he pounded a large button on the panel. As the strange vessels rammed them, the swarm instantly bounced off as a transparent force field circled around the gummi ship. The teens quickly retaliated with short bursts of cannon fire, extinguishing the remnants of the Heartless ships. The shapeless mass of gel became still while the orb inside glowed even brighter, the crimson light permeating the blackness around it. "There! Try hitting that thing!" Sora cried out, pointing to the glowing orb. With a quick nod, Riku unleashed a concentrated energy beam at the radiant core.

The resulting blow caused the orb to shake violently, changing from red to yellow. "We got it!" Sora cheered. The orb became still once more as the blob suddenly summoned more Heartless ships, the numbers higher than before. _"Here comes another wave!"_ said Chip urgently, _"Use the Light Surge! Press the red button on the handle!" _Sora did so and what followed was an enormous upsurge of energy emanating from the front of the ship. Suddenly a beam of white light shot out from the cannon beneath them. As the beam struck the gelatinous foe, a bright light spread across the dark void that surrounded them, blinding them. The opposing vessels defeated, the formless monster quivered before unleashing an entire fleet to its aid, the ships circling the creature as if it had its own gravitational pull.

Again Riku pressed the buttons, but the blast of energy did not come like the first time. "Why isn't it working?" Sora asked as he frantically tapped the buttons on the steering device.

"_The Light Cannon is charging," _explained Chip, _"it's still trying to recover from the last attack."_ Sora was about to launch another attack upon the new batch of Heartless when the swarming shuttles suddenly opened fire on them. The three teens braced themselves as the laser blasts shook the gummi ship violently, throwing them out of their seats. They quickly climbed back to their feet and assumed their offensive strategy. However, there were several red lights flashing across the control panel, the word "Warning" blinking across the screen.

"We lost the Plasma Cannon!" Sora said anxiously after gazing at the small illustration of the gummi ship which displayed a small animation of the cannons falling off the bottom of the ship.

"_Oh boy…" _sighed Chip from the Gummi Hangar. "This won't end unless we take out that thing," Riku pointed out. "We still have the Light Cannon and the Nova Gun. We just need to make this last shot count."

As if realizing the Kingdom ll's weakness, the Heartless ships suddenly charged, launching a large stream of red laser blasts that almost illuminated the blackness around them.

"_Watch out!" _cried Dale as he covered his eyes. Riku suddenly took control of the wheel and brought the Kingdom II into a steep dive downward, the Heartless ships following them like a swarm of bees. "Whooooaaaa…!" cried Sora and Kairi as the force of the dive pressed against their faces, pushing them back onto the seats. Holding the yoke steady, Riku dove further down, feeling his hands shaking from the speed. After a few moments, Riku cried out "Sora, turn on the thrusters!"

Unable to open his mouth to argue, Sora grimaced as he attempting a nod. "Okay." Struggling to the control panel, he inched his fingers toward one of the buttons. Riku swiveled the ship in a zigzag formation as the enemy ships began firing at the gummi ship. Before the enemy could unleash another barrage, Sora finally managed to press the button that switched on the thrusters. Suddenly two great torrents of fire erupted from behind the luxurious gummi ship, increasing the speed of the dive. Riku gasped when he was thrown back onto the seat of the captain's chair, the distant stars passing by in a blur. The Heartless ships that followed closely behind the Kingdom ll were engulfed within the blast of crimson fire, evaporating into ashes that disappeared within the darkness of space.

"_The cannon's fully charged!"_ Chip proclaimed,_ "You have to fire the beam now!"_

"Hold on, I need a closer target," said Riku, his teeth clenched as he continued his way down. _ "Hurry!" _cried Dale, "_If you wait too long to launch the beam, the cannon will overload. When that happens, the cannons start to overheat. If the temperature reaches 300 degrees, it's all over!"_

Riku deftly pulled the wheel down, bringing the ship upward. Sora and Kairi gasped when they were thrown forward and back into their seats once again as the ship rapidly ascended toward the jellylike foe that floated ominously above them.

The needle of heat index steadily began to move further upward, indicating the rapid rise of the ship's overall temperature. _"The temperature's rising!" _said Chip urgently.

Perspiration began to form above Riku's brow as the heat increased within the gummi ship's interior. His arms shook as the wheel rattled forcefully within his grasp. The heat index needle climbed higher up the scale, the point juddering between the numbers 180 and 220. _"Hurry guys!" _said Dale, his voice teeming with fear, _"The cannons can't take much more!"_

The Kingdom ll sped higher, drawing dangerously close to the jelly filled core that glowed brightly in its squishy body. Riku stared unblinkingly at the crimson core that grew large the closer they went to it, the image of the ominous core burning into his consciousness.

"_Now!" _cried both Chip and Dale in unison. Immediately, Riku pressed both buttons on the yoke, unleashing an enormous blast of concentrated energy that sent the three teens flying forward from their seats. The beam of light found its mark in the nucleus of the gelatinous monster, piercing straight through the viscous armor and striking the glowing core. The glutinous creature suddenly began to quiver threateningly, globs of its body disintegrating into specks of blue light that scattered throughout the dark sky. The core of the monstrous blob, which turned out to be a heart, began to turn a bright pink color as it rose from within the center of the explosion of light and into the starry blackness of space until it vanished from sight.

When the teens managed to regain their bearings, they looked around and saw only clear, starry skies all around them. "We did it…" Riku sighed as he slumped in his chair, "it's over."

"_Nice work guys," _Dale applauded.

"_Is everybody okay?"_ Chip asked. Sora nodded he pushed himself up from the floor. "We're all fine," replied Kairi as she leaned back in her chair, "we might want to stop somewhere for repairs though."

"You might have point there," Riku agreed as he shifted his eyes to the screen on the control panel which displayed a small diagram of the Kingdom ll with several areas flashing red.

"_Not a problem!" _Chip said cheerfully, _"This ship is also equipped with small repair bots that can have this thing up and running in no time. Of course it can't replace the lost cannon, but at least you won't have to come all the way back here. You just need to find somewhere to land." _All the teens released a sigh of relief. For now it seemed they were safe for the moment, however they realize as they gazed at the surroundings that the longer they remained in the open, the greater the risk of another assault and continuing on with the ship heavily damaged could leave them vulnerable to other potential enemies.

Before they could respond, a flicker of orange light flashed across the blackness. "Huh…?" Sora uttered as he stood up, gazing closely at the window. "What's wrong?" asked Riku, looking somewhat fearful. Sora said nothing as he continued to look out into the deep darkness that stretched on forever. "…I thought I saw…" Suddenly another flicker of light winked in the distance. "There!" he exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the mysterious light, "You see that?" Kairi got up from her chair and followed the spikey-haired teen's gaze for a moment before she gasped. "Yeah, I see it!" she said in awe.

Riku looked up and stared for a moment until he saw to his great surprise a faint ember-colored glow from ahead of them. "What is that?"

Sora strapped himself into his seat as he took the wheel in his hands. "There's only one way to find out."

The teens continued on in silence as the gummi ship glided closer to the mysterious light, the source of it growing larger until it finally came into full view before their eyes. The light had been coming from a place with rural mountains and snow. They gazed in awe at the world they had found, the mysterious and beautiful lights of orange, yellow and green streaming from the top of a mountain into flowing into the sky. "Yes! We found it!" Sora cheered as he punched the air triumphantly. "Preparing to land," Riku said aloud as he flicked off several switches, watching as the gummi ship making its slow descent into the mountainous world. As they drew closer to it, Riku began to feel another wave of warmth surging from his lower abdomen. He placed a hand over his small belly, feeling his heart sink. Could whatever lied in wait within this unknown world be connected to whatever was living inside him? Or perhaps this was a sign that the Lumen Stones were in fact hidden in this world, proving Nemphius' words true. Deep within the recesses of his heart, he began to sense that something far beyond his control and comprehension was happening all around him, the more he thought about it, the more certain of it he felt, however how he suddenly came to that conclusion was the most puzzling mystery of all.

S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 

Far into the misty blackness, Mickey, Donald and Goofy glided through the starry blackness aboard the Star Treader, another of the gummi ships within King Mickey's arsenal. So far during their search for the remaining Lumen Stones, they have had no luck in locating them. Of course it could be anything but easy, there were an infinite number of worlds that must be located and searched and both would be tiresome and time consuming. Although discouraged, they kept on, the thought of the lost worlds fueling their hearts. Donald, in charge of navigating the ship, slumped back into his chair.

"Do you think Sora, Riku and Kairi found the other stones yet?" asked Donald. Mickey nodded confidently. "I think so," he said, "after all that they've learned so far, they'll find the rest of the stones no problem." Both Donald and Goofy smiled, nodding in agreement. Mickey then turned to the endless starry darkness out the window, wondering how the teenage Keyblade Bearers were managing out there, but more importantly how Riku was faring, knowing the condition he was in and what exactly they were up against. Although he knew that the stability of both Light and Darkness is of the upmost importance and required all the help possible, he never expected for Riku to throw himself and the baby into harm's way. Perhaps it was to be expected; being a teenager, children or even the prospect of having children was no doubt the last thing he wanted or needed given the current circumstances. Of course he knew better than to try to interfere with his choice, after all he never asked for that to happen and by all rights it shouldn't have happened but for him to put an innocent life in danger, it was almost unthinkable.

Before he could contemplate further, he heard Goofy call out "Your Majesty…you better get a look at this." Mickey jumped out of his seat and went over to the control panel. He saw that the monitors were now buzzing with static and the needles within the meters were going haywire, some twitching back and forth, some revolving around counterclockwise.

"Whoa, that's strange…" he commented as he blinked in confusion.

The ship suddenly jolted to a halt, causing everyone aboard to lurch forward in their seats. "What happened…?" asked Mickey, looking around. "A malfunction," suggested Donald as he began pounding the control panel with his feathery fists. Suddenly all the lights began flickering until they went out, casting them all in darkness. "The power's out!" exclaimed Donald fearfully. "I got a bad feeling about this…" said Mickey anxiously. As soon as he uttered those words, the ship suddenly dropped straight down into the endless abyss, throwing the passengers upward toward the ceiling.

"AAAAAHHHH! What do we do?" Donald panicked as he grabbed onto the seat for dear life. Mickey said nothing as he clutched onto the steering wheel, trying everything he could think of to get the ship to respond but it was no use. The Star Treader continued to plummet further into the black, suddenly something appeared beneath them, a swirling worm hole that materialized in a flash of white light. Before anything could be said or done, the ship fell through the portal, the space craft and its passengers vanishing from sight with only the echoing sounds of their screams remaining.

**S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 **

**END OF CHAPTER**


	16. Through Another's Eyes

**The search continues; our heroes have entered yet another world in pursuit of the Lumen Stones. How will they fare unknowing that the enemy is following close behind them? S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2S2 S2**

As the Kingdom II hovered miles away from their course, the teens could see strange but mesmerizing rays of light that seem to alternate between orange, red, yellow and green as it streamed across the sky like a river. Rather than land upon the world itself, Sora engaged the gummi ship to remain in stand-by mode outside the intended world as was suggested by gummi engineers Chip and Dale.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Riku, still slightly anxious about their previous battle with the fleet of Heartless ships. Naturally he was not so keen on leaving their only means of transportation unattended in the blackness of space. _"It'll be fine,"_ Chip replied reassuringly, _"When the ship is in stand-by mode, all higher functions are shut off, that way other ships won't be able to track it at all; it's practically invisible."_

"Okay…" said Sora hesitantly as a stray bit of broken wire gave a loud pop, making him recoil.

"_Not to worry," _Dale reassured him, _"our Fix-It-Bots will have this ship running like new again when you guys get back." _

"Fix-It-Bots?" asked Kairi in curiosity. As if in answer to her question, a small compartment suddenly opened just below the control panel, making the teens utter a gasp of surprise. They watched with wide eyes as a group of robots the size and shape of tennis balls began marching out of the small doorway in a straight line and stopping in two neat rows of five, their metal feet clanking lightly on the floor. The miniature cyborgs then began to spread out toward different areas of the ship, their robotic arms extending as they made their way toward the damaged areas of the ship. _"See? No problem." _Dale assured them.

"Wow!" Sora exclaimed as he dropped to his hands and knees, gazing in amazement as the mini machines began repairing the cracks in the windows with ease. "Look at these guys!"

Riku gazed down at the miniature androids, a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Kind of…_small_ aren't they?"

"_Don't let their size fool you," _warned Chip, _"With the right equipment, these little guys can assemble an entire ship in less than twenty-four hours." _

"That's amazing!" Kairi commented as two of the Fix-It Bots zoomed past with a roll of colored cables.

Riku glanced out at the rural world floating continuously before the Kingdom II. "Okay, is there some way we can get there without the ship?"

"The warp point," Sora replied straightforwardly, much to the surprise of Riku and Kairi, "It can take us to that world and back no problem." Before anyone could ask, Sora flipped couple of switches and pressed several buttons on the control panel. Suddenly a large circular object descended from the ceiling, stopping a few feet above their heads. A light then began to emanate from the machine, glowing with a viridity similar to that of a standard elixir. As Riku stared at the mesmerizing light, he suddenly felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Kairi holding something out to him. "Take this," she said in a low voice. He looked down and saw that she was holding another potion, its gentle aura radiating between her fingers. "In case when…you know," she added as she glanced down at his stomach. Riku took the potion from her with a grateful smile. "Thanks."

Sora deftly entered the warp destination onto the keypad and turned to his friends as he held his hand over a button that read: Warp. "Is everybody ready?" Both Riku and Kairi nodded before Sora quickly slammed the button with the palm of his hand and rushed over to where they stood, the green light of the warp pad glowing brighter by the second until it completely engulfed the three teens. "Wow…" Kairi sighed, her eyes wide.

"_Good luck guys! Be careful!" _said the chipmunk engineers. The teens nodded as they completely disappeared behind the wall of light, leaving no trace of them behind.

What came after was a blur that Riku could not describe; the next moment instantaneously transported him from the interior of the gummi ship to a different environment all together. The ceiling above their heads was replaced by beautiful, blue skies stretching on endlessly toward the distant mountains. The walls and floors faded around them until only grass and tall pine trees remained. The teens gazed in awe at their new surroundings, catching the frigid air in their lungs. Birds glided majestically along the bracing wind that brushed through the grass and trees while the woodland creatures on the ground gazed curiously up at them for a moment before resuming their mundane activities.

As picturesque as this world seemed to be, Riku could sense the foul odor of darkness haunting the air like an invisible fog. Whatever was causing this cloud of darkness to cover this world, it was strong, too strong for a typical Heartless. His heart lurched as a thought came to him. Could _he _be in this world somewhere? It was too soon to be certain he knew, but a part of him wanted this assumption to be true. If the nameless stranger was in this world somewhere, he hoped to find him or rather he hoped that the stranger would find him. Either way, he would be able to have his vengeance. The teens stepped off of the warp point as they looked up at the orange, twilight sky.

"Okay," Sora said optimistically. "That guy said that the stones were here somewhere…" He paused as he brought his gaze to the sky. "Let's go see if we can find anyone who could tell us where the stones might be." Riku smiled in spite of himself; he couldn't help but think that he would never understand how Sora could take an intricate, time-consuming mission and make it sound so simple.

"We better get moving fast," he urged, "Since we're not the only ones looking for the stones, time is of the essence." Sora and Kairi nodded in agreement before the three of them headed off into the thick wood, the chilly air sending goose bumps all over their skin. As they continued on through the strange world, they would stop every once in a while to admire the breathtaking scenery of the icy mountains and winding rivers. Minutes slowly turned to hours and the sun had nearly faded into the distant hills but the day was not over. Knowing that their search yielded no results thus far, the Keyblade bearers discussed possible ways to locate the next set of stones. Like most worlds they have been to, it was a strange environment and they must proceed with the upmost caution, especially with the natives. Yet through all their wandering, they have yet to see a single inhabitant.

"Man," sighed Sora, "finding the next set of stones in this world is going to be tougher than I thought…"

Riku carefully scanned his surroundings, feeling the darkness of this world growing stronger as the sun drew nearer to the shadowy horizon.

"It's getting late," he said solemnly, "we shouldn't stay out here too long."

Riku began to doubt the possibility of the stones residing in this world; as he contemplated this, he couldn't help but think that perhaps the lead from Nemphius back in the Radiant Garden was a ploy and this search was nothing more than a wild goose chase. However, given the circumstances he there was no choice in the matter. If what the man had said about the near future was true, then they needed all the clues they could get in the search. There were many other worlds that must be investigated to find these stones and time was running against them. His mind flashed back to the vision that came from the robed man's staff; he could see the destruction that was wreaked upon the unwary world as if it were happening right before his very eyes. Homes destroyed, families torn apart, people thrown into the everlasting darkness of the vicious storm called the Eternal Abyss. How all this new information was tied to the stones themselves was the most puzzling aspect of all. As he speculated, the stench of darkness suddenly began to assault his senses, making his stomach roil in protest. He slowly came to a stop, his past meals sloshing around in his agitated stomach. Kairi and Sora stopped in mid-step when they noticed Riku falling behind. "Riku, what's wrong?" asked Sora, his face full of concern. Riku said nothing as he tried to compose himself.

"I think he's tired," Kairi interjected "we should take a break." Riku nodded silently, his face turning a sickly green. He then disappeared behind a large tree, suppressing a retch as he covered his mouth. "Riku…!" Sora called out as he was about to pursue him but stopped when he felt Kairi grasp his arm. "No Sora…"

"But-!" Sora gave her a confused look but fell silent when she solemnly shook her head.

Several meters from his friends, Riku doubled over, on the verge of spewing his gastric contents into a nearby shrub. He could already feel the perspiration building over his pallid face. As he stood hunched over, he suddenly remembered the potion that Kairi had given him before their departure. He immediately reached into his pocket and grabbed the potion, feeling its warmth on his hand. Just as he was about to heave, he quickly used the potion and was instantly relieved of the sickness. He sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, the nausea subsiding at last.

"That was close…" he muttered. Before he could straighten himself, he saw something that made him gasp. To his shock, he found that his lower abdomen was once again glowing faintly with that otherworldly, golden aura from before. He watched in astonishment as the light began to fade until it disappeared within his skin. He gently touched the tender skin of his stomach where the light had shone moments before, searching for any sign of the golden light.

"Riku, are you okay?" came Kairi's concerned voice. He jerked his hand away from his stomach as he quickly turned around toward the direction of the small clearing.

"Y-yeah, hang on," he replied as he adjusted his vest and pants to make sure to conceal his slightly protruding bump. As he stood there, uneasiness began to creep into his heart, feeling that somehow he was being watched. He slowly looked up and carefully scanned his surroundings. He could see only trees and shrubbery and a stray squirrel scurrying past. Before he could debate on whether or not he should investigate this, he heard Sora's voice call out "Riku! Come look!" He paused for a moment to survey his surroundings once more before he dismissed his suspicions and rushed off to his friends.

He found Kairi and Sora, staring in amazement out into the bleary horizon. "Did I miss something?" he asked, looking up into the sky and stopping dead in his tracks. That was when he saw the most amazing sight he had ever seen. Dancing across the distant skies was a stream of colorful lights that flowed through clouds like ribbons. The teens silently gazed at the wondrous phenomenon of the rainbow lights, excitement blossoming within their hearts.

"Wow…" sighed Sora, his eyes wide in awe, "colors flashing across the sky, just like he said!"

Riku gazed in wonder at the beautiful lights that illuminated the twilight sky, thinking of the mysterious man from the Radiant Garden. '_So, he was telling the truth,' _he mused. Although the sight of the rainbow stream proved the man's words correct, he then remembered his ominous premonition. He knew that once they found the stones residing in this world, it would only bring them closer to that dismal and horrific future that was foretold to them, however if they refuse to search for the stones, then the darkness would continue choking the worlds and they would never be able to return to their home. Surrender was in no way an option. Things were getting more and more dangerous and desperate by the day, but Riku won't stand by and let the Darkness take hold of any more worlds, even if it meant facing an unknown enemy.

"It looks like it's coming from over there," said Kairi, pointing toward a small group of mountains in the distance where the lights seem to be centered. Sora quickly shuffled forward, peering into the distance. "Do you think the stones might be there?" he asked.

Riku stared at the dazzling lights playing across the ember sky. "Only one way to find out," he said tersely, the sky lights shimmering off of his pale blue eyes. "Let's go," said Sora with a nod as he took the lead toward the flamboyant lights in the distance. As he was about to take his leave, Riku suddenly had that feeling that someone or something was gazing at him from an unknown location. He scanned the area around him once more before finally following after his comrades, the iridescent lights curving across the skies like a river of colors.

They hastily traversed through the scenic valley; if the stones were indeed responsible for this colorful manifestation then the teens would have to move quickly before the lights disappear. As they drew closer, they noticed a translucent stream of smoke snaking upward amongst the lights. _'Looks like we're not the only ones here…'_ Riku thought, quickening his pace as the approach of night drew closer on them. They continued onward until they reached a small clearing, the setting sun casting tall shadows all around. Looking up at the sky once more, the teens then saw to their dismay that the rainbow lights had finally vanished from sight. "Oh no…" Kairi said in a hushed voice.

"Aw, man! Now what do we do?" asked Sora in frustration.

Suddenly something leapt out from the tall brush. The teens gasped in fright as they flinched away. They looked up and saw the tall form of a young man around nineteen. He was clothed in what appeared to be animal hides that have been dyed in the shade of the blue rivers that flowed through the forest. In his hands he held a spear with a stone that was sharpened to a fine point. "Who are you?" asked the young man, gazing waveringly at the teens.

"Don't hurt us! W-w-we're just passing through," Riku replied, taken aback by the man's sudden appearance. The young man stared at the teens for a moment before he finally lowered his weapon with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry I scared you..." he said sullenly.

"No problem," said Kairi casually. "What's your name?"

"Denahi," said the man more calmly. "I'm Kairi," replied the Princess of Heart "and these two are Riku and Sora."

"Are you okay?" asked Sora, looking concerned. The dark-haired man sighed as he looked around at the mountainous horizon.

"I'm out looking for my younger brother. He's…"

Suddenly they heard a loud boisterous roar coming from high above them that was soon followed by a scream. "Up there!" Kairi cried out fearfully, pointing toward a high ridge meters away from where they stood. Looking up, Riku saw to his amazement a large bear standing on its hairy, hind legs and bearing its monstrous teeth threateningly. Its dark eyes were fixed upon the figure of a man that appeared so small in comparison to his fearsome foe. He was standing rigidly on the cliff top, poised for attack with his stone spear aimed at the massive beast before him. "Kenai…!" Denahi gasped as he gazed in fear at the summit where his brother continued to do battle with the enormous grizzly.

Before the teens could act, the massive bear suddenly attacked without warning, its massive jaws clamping onto the man's spear and pinning him to the ground.

"We gotta help!" exclaimed Sora as he took off in a run toward the rocky summit, Denahi racing at their heels. When they came upon the face of the rift, they immediately began to scale the canyon; as they climbed Denahi lost his footing and fell a few feet before he managed to grab hold of a protruding stone. "Are you okay?" Sora called worriedly.

With a grunt, Denahi hoisted himself up a few more inches before replying. "You three go on ahead, I'll catch up!" With a nod, the teens quickened their pace up the rocks until they reached an outcrop along the side of the cliff. Riku hoisted himself onto the ledge and quickly pulled Sora and Kairi to safety.

From there, the teens ran hastily along the rocky trail that led up toward the mountain summit, the bear's ferocious roar echoing through the misty winds that whipped through the icy air. "They're just ahead, c'mon!" Sora called as he raced toward the sounds. As they ran along the rocky cliff, they suddenly heard a vicious cry erupt from ahead of them, making their hearts sink. "Hurry!" cried Kairi. They continued for a few more feet until they saw a large fissure before them. Not wanting to waste time, the teens leapt over the deep crevice and onto the ridge, almost stumbling upon landing. When they looked up however, they were surprised to see the great bear lying motionless beside the young hunter who sank to his knees wearily, his breath coming in puffs of white mist in the chilly air. The teens stood in stunned silence as they gazed at the young man and at the deceased grizzly.

"He…_killed _it…" Kairi said in a whisper, her eyes wide in shock. The man suddenly turned and jumped up, startled by their appearance.

"What! Who are you?"

Suddenly Riku felt a strange sensation coming from above him. He looked up and what he saw made his jaw drop. Descending from the night sky like ribbons of blue were strange strips of cerulean light cascading down toward them from an unknown source. "What…is that?" he asked, gazing apprehensively at the stream of lights drawing near to them. Everyone stopped and turned their gaze skyward, their eyes wide in both awe and fear at the descending beams of blue. "What's happening…?" asked Kairi, looking around at the blue orbs of light that began to circle around them.

"Whoa…" sighed Sora, mesmerized by the dancing rays of light. When they looked up, they saw what appeared to be a large torrent of water coming down toward them. Quickly, they all rushed out of harm's way toward the edge of the summit, watching in amazement as the strange water began splashing immensely when it hit the hard surface of the ground. "What…?" Riku asked in awe, his eyes drenched in the light of the cerulean water that splashed against the nearby rocks like ocean waves. However to their surprise, when the water splashed on them they felt only a rush of clean air like a gentle breeze in the springtime. They all watched in stunned silence as the blue water continued to cascade down from above, pooling in the center of the peak like a mystical waterfall.

As the teens continued to gaze in wonder, Kenai cautiously stepped into the strange water and began to stride toward the glowing falls, his spear held tightly in his hands. The teens cautiously followed suit, feeling the gentle warm air as their feet became covered in the misty water. "My feet…they aren't wet…!" gasped Kairi incredulously, looking down at her submerged feet. Kenai tentatively approached the azure falls until he was a mere three feet from it, his face immersed in the supernatural light. He paused for a moment before he began to reach out to the rushing waters with the head of his spear, the tip inches away from contact.

Seeing this, Sora suddenly cried out. "Wait, don't-!"

Before the spikey-haired teen could finish his sentence, a bright burst of orange light suddenly erupted from where the spear made contact with the water. Recoiling in fear, the young hunter fell to his knees, shielding his face from the auburn light as it continued to flow all around. Riku's eyes widened as an enormous silhouette of what appeared to be a large elephant began trudging its way toward them. "They're just shadows…" he muttered in realization. When the hunter slowly rose to his feet, he and the three Keyblade bearers watched in astonishment as shadowy figures of animals of different sizes began to appear within the radiant ribbons of orange and yellow light; mammoths came stomping around them, their trunks swaying as herds of large buffalo galloped across the sky. Silhouettes of birds, wolves and many other animals began to follow in droves as they joined the majestic buffalo within the rays of light that seemed to engulf the black sky, the thunderous sounds of their cries resounding.

"Oh, wow…!" Kairi sighed, her blue eyes wide in amazement as a school of salmon swam by her. Riku stood silent as he tried to absorb the amazing phenomenon that was happening right before his eyes; never in his wildest dreams had he ever seen or imagined anything more beautiful than these dancing lights, the very sight of them seemed to put his wary heart at ease if not for a moment. As he continued staring, Riku noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned and to his amazement, saw that the fallen bear that the young hunter had killed previously appeared to be dissolving into a golden stream of light that flowed up toward the luminous sky.

"Guys, look! The bear!" he said urgently, shaking his friends from their hypnotic stares. Seeing what was happening, they gasped in shock. "What's happening to it?" Sora asked. Not another word was said as the lifeless animal was absorbed into the colorful lights that danced all around them, disappearing completely from sight. Before they could do anything else, the lights suddenly began to swirl around them like a cyclone of orange light; it swirled around them faster and faster until they were suddenly lifted off from the ground and carried them high into the sky.

As he was lifted further from the ground, Riku could feel gentle and almost loving warmth all around him as the lights began to wrap around him like strips of cloth. He was then struck with a strange sensation from his head down to his feet, it felt to him like his body was stretching and shrinking at the same time. He tried to look around for his friends but the lights had immersed completely within his vision. Suddenly the odd feeling in his body had stopped and he began to slowly descend toward the ground. As soon as he landed back onto solid ground, the beautiful lights quickly vanished into the blackness above, leaving nothing but a storm of thunder and lightning in its wake. His body felt heavy as the rain came pouring down upon him. _'What was all that…?' _he thought, trying to shake off the strange feeling.

Wearily, Riku looked around for Sora and Kairi but to his surprise could not see them. "Sora…? Kairi…?" He quickly scanned his surroundings but only saw the form of a large bear, presumably the same bear that had disappeared into the light as he had seen moments before. To his amazement, the bear shakily rose to its feet, uttering a low grunt as it hoisted its water laden body from the rocky ground. As he was about to take his defensive stance, Riku was suddenly pushed back by a powerful gust of wind that came up from the stormy cloud that had now surrounded the summit. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he was forcefully pushed off of the summit and thrown violently into the air, mist of water hitting him on all sides as he tumbled through the wind and rain. He couldn't see where he was going or what exactly was happening; he saw nothing but grey clouds and the surrounding trees that passed by his eyes in a blur. He tried to get his body under control but for some reason could not even manage to lift a finger as if he had no fingers at all.

He suddenly felt himself smash into the shaft of a tree, knocking the breath from his lungs as pain shot through his body like a bolt of lightning. He then felt himself falling toward the ground which he landed heavily upon with a thud. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was the sight of a silhouette of what appeared to be an eagle that seemed to be gazing down at him. For some reason he felt that he could trust it, as if it alone knew the answers to what was happening. He opened his mouth to speak but darkness soon covered his eyes as the pain in his back began to dull into the coolness of the falling rain. With one last look at the dreary sky, he soon fell into the nothingness of sleep.

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Deep within the wood, Zaier jadedly leaned against a nearby tree amongst a thicket of oak trees that made up almost half of the strange world, the branches casting jagged shadows over him from all directions. He was never one for stake outs; observations usually meant watching and waiting, both things that did not suit him. He always was a man of action; nothing riled his interest more than combat or the execution of a devious plan, especially if it meant being able to utilize what he had called his "Bag of Tricks", however if these teenagers were as formidable as he was told, then he would have to save his _talents_ for another time, much to his dissatisfaction.

In an attempt to distract himself from his boredom, Zaier thought it best to at least learn about what exactly he was up against. With a flick of his wrist, a full deck of cards suddenly materialized within his gloved hand. He deftly shuffled the stack of cards before spreading them all out into the open air in front of him, each one displaying an image of several different people. Zaier gazed at the lengthy deck for a moment before he pointed to three individual cards, all of which had rose magically into the air as they lined up alongside each other before his eyes. The three cards that were chosen had displayed images of three youths, a girl and two boys, each with a Keyblade in hand.

He regarded each of the cards thoughtfully, each one floating in an orbital fashion above his hand. "Hmm…they certainly do seem to be more than their appearance might portray," he mused. However he remained unconvinced that these adolescent warriors were a threat to the overall plan; after all, no matter how they plan to find the stones, it cannot change the eventual outcome. He lazily leaned back against a tree as he gazed at the small deck of cards that floated before his eyes.

He suddenly perked up when heard approaching voices meters away from his location. He quickly crouched low to the ground, the path coming into view below him. He watched as a small group strolled past; the young wielders of the Keyblade, just as predicted.

"Man," said one of the teens, a boy with spiked, brown hair, "finding the next set of stones in this world is gonna be tougher than I thought…"

'_So these are the Keyblade Bearers,'_ he thought disapprovingly,_ 'Not very subtle are they?'_

His violet eyes narrowing in suspicion, he silently inched closer, their voices growing louder the closer they came.

One of the teens, a young man with hair as pale as the moon, slowed to a stop along the path, his face turning a sickly green. He watched in amusement as the boy quickly rushed away from the path and nearly vomited into a shrub. His malicious smile soon faded when his eyes fell upon something very unusual. From beneath the sick teenager's bent form, he could barely make out a slight glimmer of light emanating from his lower abdominal area, watching as it vanished as quickly as it appeared. The pale adolescent sighed with relief as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He then placed a hand over his stomach for a moment before a voice rang out from ahead of him.

"Riku? Are you okay?" It was the voice of the girl. Zaier watched closely as the teen quickly removed his hand from his abdomen and replied back with "Y-yeah, hang on." The boy hastily adjusted his pants and dark vest so that they hid his lower abdomen from sight before rushing out to join his friends through the unfamiliar woods.

"Well, well…" Zaier mused, "It would seem that I'm not the only one with my own bag of tricks. You certainly seem to be more than you appear my young friend..." The young man was hiding something, of that Zaier was certain. But as to exactly what the boy was trying to conceal would be worth looking into and very well worth exploiting for his own amusement. As he watched the three teenagers sprint off into the mountainous valley, a dangerous smile spread across his thin lips while he began to slowly dissipate into the black mist, vanishing from sight until nothing remained but a shadow of his malicious grin.

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Riku groaned as he slowly shifted onto his back. "What happened to me?" His eyes fell upon a most unusual sight. He frowned at the blurry image, blinking against the blinding sunlight as his senses slowly came back into focus. His eyes widened when his gaze fell upon large talons an inch away from his face. He gasped in fright as he quickly scrambled to his feet but for some reason could not get his arms to heave himself up from his back; they felt strange to him, as if they had somehow been replaced by something wide and light. He turned his head sideways and gasped. It appeared that his arms had been completely covered with feathers. When he moved his arm, the feathers stretched together as he extended it. He shifted his gaze to his feet and in their place were a large pair of fearsome talons. As he gazed closely at himself, His heart sank as he realized exactly what had become of him; those mysterious lights from before had transformed him into an animal, more precisely, some sort of bird. "Oh no…" he breathed as he gazed once more at his snow-white wings and then quickly looked around. Sora and Kairi were nowhere to be seen.

"Kairi, Sora!" he called, flapping his wings frantically. When he turned around, he suddenly saw a looming figure standing against the light of the sun. The figure was that of a large eagle, standing rigidly atop a stone that overlooked the small clearing. Riku regarded the fearsome creature warily, its piercing gaze sending a shiver through his spine. There was something strangely familiar about the eagle, like he had seen it somewhere before. Although he knew that generally all birds of the same species looked exactly the same, this particular creature was different somehow, just the mere sight of it was almost ethereal. "Who are you?" he asked, his words coming out in a high-pitched squawk. The eagle suddenly unfolded its large wings and slowly began to flap them, the feathers silent against the cold breeze that brushed through them. Riku watched as the eagle continued to slowly flap its wings, pausing each time with its golden eyes fixed on him.

"Are you…telling me something?" The eagle stopped for an instant as it shifted its gaze toward the sky before opening its wings once more and flapping them with the same rhythmic motion as before. It was after that moment that Riku understood what the eagle was doing. He tentatively spread his new wings and carefully mimicked the eagle's movements, the wind coursing through his feathers. The eagle then began to flap its wings harder and was lifted several feet into the air. It swiftly flew up and perched itself onto a branch high above the ground. The majestic bird brought its gaze down to Riku, its eyes beckoning to him from above. Imitating the movements of the bald eagle, he flapped his wings harder until he managed to actually lift himself off of the ground. 'Alright!' he thought in excitement. He rose himself higher into the air, his wings beating against the frigid air. The eagle watched unblinkingly as Riku flailed uneasily in the air until he actually managed to land safely onto a branch adjacent to the one the eagle sat on. Talons clinging to the frost-covered branch, Riku carefully lowered his silver wings and looked up at the eagle who stared fixedly at the teen before turning its feathered head toward the branches above.

'_Higher…'_ Riku opened his wings once more and taking the chance, leapt off of the branch. The eagle then opened its large wings and swiftly soared up and disappeared into the thick brush of the canopy. Riku quickly began to flap his wings, rising high into the leafy canopy of the trees until his newfound talons found a branch to rest upon. When he managed to get his bearings, his pale, blue eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. The view from where he was perched was breathtaking. Frost-tipped mountains were lined along the regal horizon from east to west, the green branches of the pine trees covering the beautiful landscape. Riku could hear the squalling of birds that flew overhead, maintaining a "v" formation as they went. He looked beside him to find the eagle perched upon a branch beside his own, its golden eyes once again gazing over at him. Before Riku could ask, the majestic bird once again opened its wings, uttering a shriek as it suddenly took flight toward the rising sun, the darkness of its feathers fading into the blinding light.

Riku watched in awe at the mysterious creature flew father into the horizon until it was gone from sight. It was then that he suddenly remembered why he was here. With a screech, he leapt off of the high branch and opened his wings, letting the wind take care of the rest. To his amazement, not only did he manage to remain in the air, he found himself moving along with the wind that gently pushed him toward the distant forests_. 'I'm…flying…'_ he thought, his heart teeming with excitement, _'I'm really flying!' _He whirled through the air ecstatically as the air blew through the feathers of his wings. Flying was something that he never imagined that he would want to do, even as a child; but as he soared over the trees, he couldn't imagine anything more liberating, more thrilling than to feel the wind on his face while gliding far from the ground.

Suddenly he heard voices from below him, putting an end to his excitement when he suddenly remembered what it was that he should be doing. He flew lower toward the treetops, scanning the floor of the forest as he focused his senses for the source of the distant sounds. That's when he heard a familiar voice cry out from beneath the thick trees.

"_Can anyone hear meeee?! Hellooo!" _

Although he couldn't see who the speaker was, Riku recognized that voice anywhere. He quickly swooped down through the canopy, the sharp edges of small branches poking his wings painfully. "SORA!" he cried as he tumbled clumsily toward the earth, landing on his stomach. Groaning, Riku slowly pushed himself up from the ground, ruffling his feathers. He silently gazed at his surroundings, seeing nothing but trees and shrubbery. "Sora, are you here?" he called, "Say something!" Suddenly from behind he heard a scurrying sound. He quickly turned to find the most peculiar creature gazing at him, a brown otter. Although normally the appearance of such an animal seemed normal enough, Riku noticed something oddly familiar about it, the way its fur stuck out in almost all directions and something that looked to be a silver chain around its neck. The brown otter blinked in confusion as it approached him cautiously, gazing at him intently before to his great surprise spoke in a familiar voice. "Riku…is that you…?"

Riku gasped as his eyes widened, _"Sora…?" _

The otter scurried forward excitedly. "Riku, it IS you!" he exclaimed with a laugh, "You're okay!"

Riku stared in disbelief at the energetic little otter that was his best friend; the strange lights in the sky that appeared the night before had apparently affected his friends as well. "The lights… they changed you too!" Sora stopped abruptly as he glanced down at himself, his whiskers twitching in curiosity.

"I know, weird huh?" he said playfully, "And you…wow! Riku, you're a falcon!" Riku turned his head to the side, extending one of his wings. "So that's what I am," he said thoughtfully, "that explains the huge claws," he added with a light chuckle.

Before they could exchange another word, another voice rang out several feet from where they stood. "Sora, Riku!" Both boys turned to the source of the voice and gasped. Out of the thick brush of green came a large form of a wolf, its auburn hair glowing against the sunlight as it turned its cerulean eyes toward them. Riku and Sora flinched back defensively, poised for attack.

"Don't worry! It's me!" said the wolf in a gentle voice that was all too familiar. Riku and Sora uttered a gasp of shock. "Kairi!?"

The female wolf trotted softly toward them. "I'm so glad you're okay," she exclaimed with relief.

Sora gaped at the transformed princess, his fur falling all around him "Whoa! Kairi, you changed too!"

"We all did." She paused as she brought her gaze skyward, "it's strange…" she began thoughtfully, "those lights that carried us into the sky, they almost felt…alive somehow."

"This is a problem…" Riku stated solemnly as he turned his gaze skyward, "We could be anywhere now."

They all fell silent as the gravity of their present situation began to sink in; finding the Lumen Stones in their current state will certain prove more difficult than before, but it's not entirely impossible. As dire as their situation seemed, deep in their hearts was still a small hope that once they find the stones in this world, they would be human once again; however, how to begin or where to look, information that would not be acquired easily they knew, but things being what they are now, there was no longer a choice. "What do we do now?" asked Sora, gazing around him in uncertainty. Before anyone could answer Sora's question, a loud and frightening scream suddenly came out of the forest like a clap of thunder after a flash of lighting. The teens quickly reacted and immediately started toward the source of the sound with Riku flying at the head of the group.

They all weaved between the pines and shrubs as they continued in the direction of the screams until they all reached a tall brush with a clear view of a small clearing next to a riverbank. They all huddled together behind the shrub, peering through the leaves. There in the clearing, they found to their surprise an old woman standing next to a bear that was screaming and running around in a disorientated fashion, its tawny fur matted with dirt and grass. The old woman was waving her arms as she chased it around a bit, appearing to be trying to soothe the alarmed bear's frenzy.

"Alright, alright, settle down Kenai!" the elderly woman shouted over the loud screams in an attempt to calm to frightened bear. "Kenai…" Kairi said thoughtfully.

"Wait, isn't he the guy we saw on the summit last night?" Sora asked in a low voice. "Denahi's brother?"

Riku peered through the leaves at the elderly woman and the panic-stricken bear. He didn't know who this woman was or what exactly was going on but one thing he was sure of is that she somehow had recognized Kenai and knew what had become of him; did she perchance witness that phenomenal event atop the rocky summit the previous night? Perhaps she knew how they could all return to their human forms. They were about to speak when the old woman suddenly took off her shoe and forcefully threw it at the bear's head, putting an end to its hysterical tirade.

"Kenai, listen to me," said the old woman as she got the bear's attention, "_Sitka_ is the one that did this." She glanced over toward the nearby shrubbery and paused. "Hm…?" The three teens froze as the old woman continued to stare in their direction. Kairi gasped as she took a step further into their hiding place. "Uh-oh…" whispered Sora apprehensively as he and Riku shrank back into the bushes. Kenai turned his gaze toward the nearby shrub.

"What is it Tanana?" he grunted in confusion. The teens remained still, their eyes focused on the woman and the bear.

"Hello in there!" the woman named Tanana called kindly, "Come on out, there's nothing to be afraid of here." The three teens exchanged looks; even though the woman seemed friendly, they knew that given the circumstances they must not let their guard down. They all nodded before they slowly emerged from the thicket. Kenai's eyes widened in surprise as they all came out of hiding.

"There now, that's better," said Tanana cheerfully as she gazed at them. "My, my, my; you certainly are a strange looking bunch aren't you?" she commented with a chuckle. She then frowned in contemplation. "…A wolf, a falcon and a playful little otter. Hmm… it seems you're not the only one the spirits have changed, Kenai," she said thoughtfully.

Kenai frowned in confusion as he looked down at the three teens. "Who are you three?" he asked.

Sora looked around at the riverbank before turning his attention to bear. "Huh? You don't remember?"

"What?" Kenai said in confusion as he glanced from Sora to Kairi who slowly approached them. "Last night," she said in reply, "We found you on the summit, remember?" Kenai frowned in contemplation before his eyes widened in realization. "Yeah…yeah, I remember now. You guys just showed up out of nowhere and then…the lights…"

Tanana watched in fascination as they all continued to converse with each other. "I see you all are already familiar with one another," she said with a smile. "Sitka must have some really big plans for all of you."

"Sitka? Who's that?" Sora asked.

Kenai opened his mouth to speak but gasped when Tanana began to run her hand through his thick fur. "Strange…spirits don't usually make these kinds of changes…" she mused as she examined one of Kenai's eyes. "Do you see in black in white or color?"

"Tanana, this is serious," growled Kenai irritably, "I need you to-!"

"Hey!" Tenana said tersely as she gave Kenai's nose a sharp smack, silencing him immediately. "Listen to me; you got yourself into this mess. If you want to change, take it up with your brother's spirit."

Kenai brought his head up to the afternoon sky. "His…spirit?" he growled tentatively. As if understanding his uncertainty, Tanana began to trace out an image of two hills in the dirt. "You'll find him on the mountain where the lights touch the earth," she said as she etched wavy lines above the two hills, indicating the colorful lights that appear on the mountain, "he'll help you make up for what you've done wrong."

"But, I didn't do anything wrong…" Kenai said, confused.

Riku flew up into a nearby branch and gazed down at the small sketch in the sand. The mountain seemed to be a place of importance to the people living in this world which would make a perfect if not obvious location for the Lumen Stones. He and his friends looked at each other, indicating that they were all thinking the same thing.

"_Follow your heart and you'll find what you seek."_

When they all looked up, they were shocked to find the shaman woman gone from sight. "Hey, where did she go?" asked Riku, surprised at her sudden disappearance. How could it be that none of them had seen or heard the old woman leave? Was she a mere figment of their imagination or something much more mysterious? "Hello?" Kairi yowled as she looked around.

"Tanana…?" Kenai called, receiving only his own echoes in reply, "Tanana! Wait, I didn't do anything wrong!"

"She's gone…" Riku said conclusively. "Who was she?" Sora asked. "She's the shaman woman from my village," Kenai replied, still trying to shake off the shock. The group fell silent as the graveness of the situation began to sink in. They knew where they needed to go and what to find there, but how to get to the mountain was the biggest challenge. There was no telling where it was or how long it would take to get there, it could take days, even weeks to find such a mountain. The teenage Keyblade bearers could feel their drive slightly diminish as the sky overhead began to slowly turn orange once again.

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